Wisdom of the Sadhu - by Sundar Singh (Paperback)

About the Book

Known in his lifetime as Indias most famous convert to Christianity, Sundar Singh (18891929) would not approve of that characterization. He loved Jesus and devoted his life to knowing and following him, but he never accepted Christianitys cultural conventions, even as he embraced its stark original teachings.

Book Synopsis

A modern Saint Francis, Sundar Singh probes the essence of the Gospels with unusual freshness

Sundar Singh (1889-1929) left the wealth of his home at sixteen to live as a sadhu, or wandering holy man. His beggar-like existence, his intense devotion, his mystical encounters with Jesus, and his simple yet profound parables became the stuff of legends. No one who met him - including the thousands who flocked to hear him during his visits to Europe, the Far East, and the United States - remained unaffected.

Known in his lifetime as India's most famous convert to Christianity, Sundar Singh would not approve of that characterization. He loved Jesus and devoted his life to knowing and following him, but he never accepted Christianity's cultural conventions, even as he embraced its stark original teachings.

Wisdom of the Sadhu, a collection of anecdotes, sayings, parables, and meditations, brings together the best of Sundar Singh's teachings. Couched as they are in a distinctly Indian idiom, they probe the essence of the Gospels with unusual freshness and offer insights of great depth and value to every serious seeker.

Review Quotes

"Sadhu Sundar Singh is one of the most fascinating and enigmatic spiritual guides of the twentieth century. Rooted as it is in a distinctively Indian style, his Christian wisdom challenges Western readers to step beyond theological ideas and taste the Gospel itself. Plough has done a great service by publishing the work of this wise and holy teacher."--Robert Elsberg, author, All Saints

"Sadhu Sundar Singh's dramatic encounter with the living Christ, his refusal to clothe his faith with western trappings, and his absolute devotion to the way of Jesus make for compelling reading. I highly recommend this book."--Richard J. Foster, author, Celebration of Discipline

"This fascinating collection of Sadhu Sundar Singh's conversations and parables reveals a startlingly non-Western but deeply authentic Christianity. This volume should be of the keenest interest to spiritual seekers, Christian and non-Christian alike. Highly recommended."--Library Journal

"Sadhu Sundar Singh is one of the most fascinating and enigmatic spiritual guides of the twentieth century. Rooted as it is in a distinctively Indian style, his Christian wisdom challenges Western readers to step beyond theological ideas and taste the Gospel itself. Plough has done a great service by publishing the work of this wise and holy teacher."

"Sadhu Sundar Singh's dramatic encounter with the living Christ, his refusal to clothe his faith with western trappings, and his absolute devotion to the way of Jesus make for compelling reading. I highly recommend this book."

"This fascinating collection of Sadhu Sundar Singh's conversations and parables reveals a startlingly non-Western but deeply authentic Christianity. This volume should be of the keenest interest to spiritual seekers, Christian and non-Christian alike. Highly recommended."