Being Sikh in a Christian school
Embracing identity and finding belonging among peers with a different religion.
When I first walked into my new school, I remember feeling like everyone else already spoke a language I didn’t know. It was the language of faith. Each morning began with prayer, each classroom wall carried a verse from the Bible, and every conversation seemed to circle back to church youth groups or worship songs. I stood there – a Sikh girl surrounded by faith that wasn’t mine – and wondered quietly, where do I fit in here?
In those early months, belonging felt impossible. During chapel, I watched my peers lift their hands to worship while I kept mine folded, unsure of what to do. I admired the passion they had for God, when part of me felt like an outsider looking through glass. When people asked about my beliefs, I hesitated. I didn’t want to seem too different, even though I was.
Still, God has a way of finding me where I least expect him. It started with small moments: a classmate inviting me to sit with her at lunch, my Bible teacher who encouraged me to share what Sikhism teaches about compassion, and a conversation with him about how both our faiths believe in serving others selflessly. I began to realize that maybe faith doesn’t always divide; sometimes, it opens doors to understanding.
Connection, not debate
I vividly remember, one day in Bible class, my teacher shared a verse from Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” He spoke about how in God’s eyes, we are all equal, all loved. I remember sitting there, stunned by the beauty of those words. I wasn’t Christian, but that message reached straight into my heart. Maybe belonging wasn’t about sameness. Maybe it was about love that went beyond boundaries.
As time passed, I stopped trying to blend in and started being open about who I was. My friends asked about the swords Sikhs carry, my traditions, and about the meaning behind seva – selfless service – which is a big part of my faith. In return, I listened as they shared what prayer meant to them. We didn’t debate; we connected.
That’s when I learned that belonging doesn’t mean losing yourself to fit in. It means being accepted for who you are – and offering that same acceptance to others. Brené Brown, a renowned researcher on vulnerability and belonging, writes, “true belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” Her words perfectly captured what I was learning: I didn’t need to hide my Sikh identity to belong in a Christian space. Instead, I needed to embrace it.
Fully seen
My time in high school is almost at an end at Surrey Christian School. The school that once made me feel out of place has become a home. I found some friends who love me as I am, teachers who show me that God’s love is bigger than any label, and faith that reminds me how his love can be reflected in anyone’s kindness.
Because real belonging, I’ve learned, isn’t about finding people who mirror you perfectly. It’s about finding people who see you fully – and love you anyway. Now, when I think about belonging, I don’t picture a group where everyone looks or believes the same. I picture a table – one big enough for all of us, where differences don’t divide but deepen our understanding of God’s love.
And in my Christian school, surrounded by hymns and prayer, I found exactly that.
I am left with conflicting thoughts as I finished the article. I’m glad she found community at Surrey Christian; I am very grateful that she could find friends and receive a good education. I am, however curious about her comments around Galatians 3.28. and the heading of ‘Connection not Debate,” I wonder about the assumption that love goes beyond boundaries to mean more than the text states. It’s a text about Jews and Gentiles being equally loved by the Father and equally accepted through the death and resurrection of Jesus into the life of the Triune God by the power of the Spirit. So, I wonder if it was ever explained to her that while God loves her and all image bearers equally as they are, that God also loves too much to let any image bearer remain as they are? I wonder if connection on a lowest common denominator basis is the goal of Christian witness to that impossibly reckless love? I wonder if a better word than debate should be used to affirm the unique character of Jesus the Christ and what ultimate loyalty to Him requires? CC has affirmed the articles worth, but I do wonder if what appears to be universalism should be offered without some comment. Otherwise, I worry that CC is also affirming the content of the article.