Martinek, Edward C. (Gdańskie Seminarium Duchowne, 2024)
Why examine ancient Hawaiian religion for a concept of justice? There are at least three reasons: First, the ancient Hawaiian concept of justice was diametrically different from European or American jurisprudence. Justice in this “primitive” polytheistic religion had its own definition of justice that reflected a completely contrasting philosophy and theology, based on myth, legend, chants, and oral tradition. Second, the worldview of Hawaiian concepts and principles make salient the assumptions underlying Western definitions of justice. Third, this ancient concept of justice and its associated religious principles are still relevant today in the modern, codified, and Christian era of Hawaii. It is my thesis that balance and harmony are central to Hawaiian theology and therefore critical to justice theory.
