Dr. Surjit Singh, Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology at GTU member school San Francisco Theological Seminary, passed away on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at the age of 88.

Dr. Singh was a member of the SFTS faculty from 1951 through 1988. He was professor of Philosophical Theology but his particular interest was Christology, the branch of theology concerned with the person and attributes and deeds of Christ. Many students remember him for his "divine-hyphen" theory, an image that he used to describe the work of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Singh and wife, Indira, established the Surjit Singh Essay Award in Christology, and essay competition that provides incentive and opportunity for graduating students to organize their theological convictions around a central doctrine of the Christian faith. Just a few months ago, he participated in the awarding of the prize to SFTS students Pilleun Lee-Park and Garrett Andrew. The Singhs also endowed an annual lectureship that is hosted by the Graduate Theological Union, The Surjit Singh Lecture in Comparative Religious Thought and Culture.

Dr. Singh served with distinction as Dean of SFTS from 1972 to 1978. He is well remembered by the faculty for his contributions to shared governance and, especially, for his role in drafting the faculty handbook. Dean Jana Childers remembers Singh as "a diplomat, a negotiator, and, in his later years, the seminary's elder statesman whose loss is one the Seminary will feel keenly." As President Phil Butin says of Dr. Singh, "Nobody loved the seminary more."

The Memorial Service for Dr. Surgit Singh was held Saturday, June 10 at the First Presbyterian Church, San Anselmo, California. President Butin preached and led the SFTS, GTU, and First Presbyterian communities, as well as those from the wider Church, in giving thanks for this great man's life of service.