spiritual insights on religion, social justice and comparative theology
The act of birth itself is traumatic. We enter from a womb of comfort and security into a bold, daunting and dissonant, chaotic, hurried fluorescent lit world – bloodied and wet, sticky, being handed from one to another and relying on multiple sensibilities to hold a frantic awareness calmly, serenely with understanding and poignant culpability. … Continue reading Coping With Trauma by William Klein
The Police wrote a song titled “Rehumanize Yourself.” It was a song written about “people becoming disconnected from their humanity when placed in certain circumstances.” The song was inspired by a real incident. Lead singer and songwriter Sting heard about some skinheads kicking a man to death outside his house. “Policeman put on his uniform/Had … Continue reading Rehumanize Yourself by William Klein
There’s an old maxim, “The answer is in the question.” Confucius said, “The one who asks a question is a fool for a minute. The one who never asks a question is a fool for life.” Sometimes the soil of our being gets hard from spiritual dryness. We need to till the ground, pull the weeds of … Continue reading Tilling The Soil Of Being by William Klein
The US Catholic Bishops’ decision to deny President Biden and other politicians the Eucharist based on their pro-choice policies is problematic. On one hand it’s important that they assert the Church’s position on abortion. On the other hand, denying a practicing Catholic this Holy Sacrament is troublesome, because it has often been said, “Silence is consent.” It … Continue reading Eucharistic Condemnation by William Klein
As I drove through the streets of LA on a recent visit, I noticed more makeshift housing on the hills and side of the road. I'd seen this on skid row, but it was never visible on the streets of LA. I couldn’t get over the number of tent cities. There are people literally living in … Continue reading Tent Cities by William Klein
Blame is a wicked curse. It creates tensions that can lead to waves of uncertainty and fear which can cause policies that are sinful in nature and structures of sin in our institutions. These waves crash on the shores of our society and make their presence known, but people tend to accept the tide for … Continue reading Girard’s “Scapegoating” by William Klein
I’ve heard it said that “insanity is knowing you have to change but refusing to do anything about it.” I’ve been digging deep into the profound stories I’ve heard this year as a teacher. Children telling me stories of violence where loved ones have been impacted: A child told me how they were jarred into … Continue reading Rene Girard’s “Mimetic Desire” by William Klein
In hindsight, the year’s been a bright, blistering haze. School is over for the year, and I can breathe again. I’m not alone. I’ve heard some interesting turns of phrases to articulate just how tired other teachers are. “I feel like I just wrestled a monster.” “I feel like I just ran a marathon -- underwater.” It shows … Continue reading Seeing Beyond by William Klein
In his New York Times bestselling book “The Untethered Spirit,” Michael A. Singer writes about the fetters that hold us back from being everything we’re called to be. Our thoughts trap us into seeing the world a certain way. They cage us in limitation, as we dialogue and work through the world in conversation as the world … Continue reading The Power of Thought by William Klein
It’s Memorial Day, and I’m thinking about the brave men and women who sacrificed life and limb to commit to a call beyond themselves. Wars don’t end. They linger in the hearts and minds of those who served and more often than not leave a stain on the memory that can never be lifted. Those who have … Continue reading How Soon We Forget by William Klein
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