Teachings by Clergy

TEACHINGS BY CLERGY

During the Strategic Initiatives work in 2017-18, one of the issues raised was a desire from the lay people of the Diocese for more theological teaching from the clergy. As a result, the Bishop has asked the clergy in our Diocese to prayerfully share their reflections and "teachings" on certain subjects for all to read and learn from. Their writings may be in the form of a sermon or academic paper or even a poem. Questions are included with some of the reflections to encourage conversation, personal prayer, or for use in a congregation’s study group. Beginning in November 2019, a new teaching will appear in the e-news and posted here, along with a downloadable pdf file.

"I want to share teaching with the Diocese. As Priests, you were ordained to be 'a faithful pastor, a patient teacher, and a wise councilor' (BCP, p. 534). I think this important teaching ministry is one we must share with the entire Diocese." - Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick in a message to clergy in the Diocese.

The Nicene Creed

(Featured in the E-news 03/23/20)

Reflection on the Nicene Creed
By The Rev. Kaleo Patterson
Vicar, St. Stephenʻs Episcopal Church, Wahiawa

The Ulu from Heaven

If Jesus had taken a wrong turn in the Sea of Galilee and ended up in Hanalei Bay (Kauaʻi), he might have said to the Hawaiians there “I am the Ulu from heaven.”

In fact in the moʻolelo (stories) of the origin of the Ulu or breadfruit tree we find a Christ-like parallel or association in the demi-god Kukaʻilimoku, who comes to earth from heaven, to check things out and likes what he sees, he marries, has children, is having a wonderful life until a terrible famine comes upon the land, and a great hunger develops, and many are perishing. In this climate crisis, Kukaʻilimoku says goodbye to his family and goes on a journey arriving in a lonely place, a field where he becomes the Ulu Tree, burying himself into the earth, to rise again, at first a sprout, and then a young tree, and finally producing wonderful fruit, which is then discovered by his family, and his people, and they eat of the breadfruit, and are saved from the famine.

In the Nicene Creed we have the phrase: he came down from heaven. Jesus comes to earth in a time of great physical and spiritual hunger, and we are reminded of his declaration in John 6:35 (NRSV and Baibala):

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

35 ʻŌlelo maila ʻo Iesū iā lākou, ʻO wau nō ka berena e ola ai; ʻo ka mea e hele mai i oʻu nei,
ʻaʻole loa ia e pōloli; a ʻo ka mea e manaʻoʻiʻo mai iaʻu, ʻaʻole loa ia e make wai.

The first Hawaiians learning the Nicene Creed, would not have difficulty understanding the Heilsgeschichte or salvation history embedded in the Nicene Creed:

Heilsgeschichte (Germ., ‘salvation-history’). The attempt (made initially by Christians) to discern a unifying thread in human, and especially in biblical history, that thread being the initiatives and actions of God in saving his people and the world. (Encyclopedia.com)

The Nicene Creed reminds us that Jesus came to earth to be the bread of life, (the Ulu from heaven), and in the Eucharist, we eat his body, and drink his blood! He is the vine and we are the branches. He is the living water and we will thirst no more. The incarnation ʻEnekelea (Catholic) is the kino lau and the hoailona of Jesus embodying many forms and manifestations, of the divinity and humanity.

kino lau
n. Many forms taken by a supernatural body, as Pele, who could at will become a flame of fire, a young girl, or an old hag. (wehewehe.org)

-ʻailona
hō.ʻai.lona Sign, symbol, representation, insignia, emblem, mark, badge, signal, omen, portent, target, credential, token of recognition, a lot that is cast; title (legal); depth sounding; to mark; to take a depth sounding; to draw lots. Cf. hailona, kila 2. Hōʻailona helu, plural sign or marker, algebra. Hōʻailona mahele, measure signature in music. Hōʻailona kūʻauhau, hōʻailona no ke kūlana, family crest or coat of arms. Hōʻailona mōʻī, badge or emblem of royalty, sceptre. Hōʻailona paʻi, printed stamp. Hōʻailona manawa, time signature in music. Hōʻailona lanakila, emblem or trophy of victory, trophy. Ka pana ʻana aku i ka hōʻailona (1 Sam. 20.20), shooting at the mark. (PPN fakaʻilonga.) (wehewehe.org)

But Jesus is more than kino lau or hoailona. Jesus was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary (EOW translation). The noun incarnate derives from the ecclesiastical Latin verb incarno, itself derived from the prefix in- and caro, "flesh", meaning "to make into flesh" or, in the passive, "to be made flesh".

The term Incarnate assigns a unique divinity and humanity of Jesus: He is the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14).

In the Nicene Creed we have salvation history, we have Jesus who comes from heaven, we have Jesus incarnate from the virgin Mary! He came down from heaven to be the bread of life for a hungry world, the Ulu from heaven!

(Download the pdf file of Kahu Pattersonʻs reflection below.)

kaleo_patterson_nicene_creed_11.11.19[1]_kaleo_proofed.pdf
File Size:	136 kb
File Type:	pdf

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Previous Clergy Teaching Reflections on The Nicene Creed

By The Rev. David J. Gierlach, Rector
St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, Honolulu
(Featured in the E-news 11/12/19)

gierlach_reflection_pub.pdf
File Size:	71 kb
File Type:	pdf

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By The Rt. Rev. Robert L. Fitzpatrick, Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i
(Featured in the E-news 12/10/19)

fitzpatrick_reflection.pdf
File Size:	148 kb
File Type:	pdf

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By The Rev. Dcn. Andrew Arakawa
Assistant Upper School Chaplain, 'Iolani School, Deacon Associate, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Honolulu
(Featured in the E-News 01/07/20)

arakawa_reflection.pdf
File Size:	216 kb
File Type:	pdf

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By The Rev. Paul Lillie, Rector, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Honolulu
(Featured in the E-news 01/22/20)

lillie_reflection.pdf
File Size:	100 kb
File Type:	pdf

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By The Rev. Ray Woo, Vicar, St. Lukeʻs Episcopal Church, Honolulu
(Featured in the E-news 02/07/20)

raymond_woo-_nicene_creed_reflection.pdf
File Size:	128 kb
File Type:	pdf

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By The Rev. Heather Patton-Graham, Chaplain, ʻIolani School, Honolulu
(Featured in the E-News 02/21/20)

heather_patton-grahams_reflection_.pdf
File Size:	134 kb
File Type:	pdf

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By The Rev. John Hauʻoli Tomoso, Maui
(Featured in the E-news 03/06/20)

hau‘oli_tomosos_reflection_rev.pdf
File Size:	77 kb
File Type:	pdf

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