The Times of London reports:
Although Dr Nazir-Ali has been in charge of the Rochester diocese for nearly 15 years, the decision to quit - which will see him leave his post later this year - has come as a surprise.
The bishop is aged only 59 and potentially could have stayed in post for another decade.
He was a leading contender to succeed George Carey as Archbishop of Canterbury, but has become increasingly outspoken at the direction of the Church since Dr Rowan Williams’s appointment.
A spokesman for the bishop said that he wants to turn his attention to working with the persecuted church.
“Bishop Michael is hoping to work with a number of church leaders from areas where the church is under pressure, particularly in minority situations, who have asked him to assist them with education and training for their particular situation,” he said.
Ruth is speculating that his decision may be linked to plans for taking a leadership role in one of the Global South provinces, which would of course not be a bad fit at all, but take care to remember that this is still speculation.
Damian Thompson tells it like it is:
This is terrible news, because it means that the Anglican and Catholic Churches in this country will no longer have a single bishop who grasps the extent of the threat of Islam to civil society.
I used to disapprove of Bishop Nazir-Ali on various grounds. Never have I been more wrong. He is the only incumbent bishop who not only understands the true incompatibility of Sharia law with our ancient common law, but also follows in great detail the incremental changes to the public sector in order to accommodate Islamic religious demands.
No matter what his motive, or what good he does elsewhere, one thing is certain: Rochester has lost a gem of a man, and conservatives have lost a lion in the heart of the CoE power grid.
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Possible scenario:
(+Nazir Ali meets for tea and talk with ++RW after Lambeth in parlor of palace.)
+NA: ‘Do you have plans to retire and do you plan to continue with your present strategies and actions regarding the AC, traditional Scriptural Christianity, sexuality, global economics and syncretistic religions?’
++RW: ‘No and Yes.’
+NA: ‘Sir, I herewith submit my resignation. I have decided to join with rest of orthodox Christianity to fight against your (and your cohorts) strategies tooth and toenail.’