George W Bush once famously said “I don’t do nuance.” Neither does the media. That’s why when Peter Adam gave a considered, scholarly lecture this week the shock jocks went ballistic.

1. This well argued and considered lecture from Peter Adam, the Principal of Ridley College, Melbourne was meant to pay homage to John Saunders, a colonial-era evangelical known for his work among aborigines, and advance the discussion on reconciliation. Instead, some commentators took this report from the SMH and ran with it, far away from Peter’s original intention. There is a silver lining though. At least the fuss enabled the Age’s Barney Zwartz to write this excellent opinion piece, which is faithful to the original intent of the lecture.

2. Last Tuesday was designated “Black Day” in Pakistan by christians who have undergone horrific persecution recently. At the heart of the issue is the Pakistan Penal code amendment on blasphemy against Islam, known as amendments 295 B and 295 C. The laws have led to mobs attacking Christians with impunity. How serious it is was underlined by the President of the Pakistan Christian Congress this week "The months of July and August of 2009 will be remembered as constitutional genocide of Christians in Pakistan, when under the cover of Article 295 B and C Muslim mobs ransacked Christian property and killed Christians on alleged accusations of blasphemy,"

3. What have the noughties done for God? is the title of a BBC newsnight review of this decade and the rise (or fall) of religion. The BBC"s Religion reporter Robert Piggott did the story. Robert covered GAFCON and did a good job. But I’m disappointed that in this review he didn’t speak to any orthodox Christian leaders. Twice he spoke to liberal protestants, but not one conservative leader. It’s not as though they are hard to find in England. What emerges from his story is the damage done to religion in public life in a country where the government “didn’t do God”. 

4. An interesting wire report from Associated Press in the US is headlined “Wait for sex and marriage? Evangelicals conflicted”. It rehearses the arguments for and against early marriage. Christianity Today magazine sparked this with its cover story this month titled “The Case for Young Marriage.” This is a hot topic in the US along with what the writer calls the “abstinence industry”. It’s not that he disagrees with abstinence before marriage but he says “The abstinence industry perpetuates a blissful myth; too much is made of the explosively rewarding marital sex life awaiting abstainers. The fact is that God makes no promises of great sex to those who wait. Some experience difficult marriages. Spouses wander. Others cannot conceive children. In reality, spouses learn marriage, just like they learn communication, child-rearing, or making love. Unfortunately, education about marriage is now sadly perceived as self-obvious, juvenile, or feminine, the domain of disparaged home economics courses. Nothing could be further from the truth.” Well said.

5. Is Bob Dylan releasing another Christian album? No. But he is reportedly doing a christmas album. One Dylan observer says “He’s both never renounced being Jewish or renounced his experience with Jesus some three decades ago.” However, singing “Here comes Santa Claus” doesn’t have much to do with either.

Maybe Dylan doesn’t do nuance.