On Saturday evening, a jury informed us that they believed
George Zimmerman was not guilty of murdering 17-year-old,
unarmed Trayvon Martin. It was hard to sleep after the verdict
was announced. Despite the fact that I had to get up early the
next morning and preach about the Good Samaritan, I could not go
to sleep.  As I have aged, I have made a concerted effort to
nurture self-doubt. I went to seminary very certain about many
things. I left with many questions. Theological certainty has
died, while questions have flourished. In my mid-20s, I became
an activist for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights;
in my early 40s, I became a broader peace and justice activist.
Each of those incarnations began with certainty that soon faded
as I became increasingly aware of the complexity and nuance
around those issues. Prophets, of course, must speak with a
clear voice, but my conviction often sounded more definitive
than I felt.  Tossing and turning Saturday night, I tried to
review what I knew about the trial