Updated further on Monday morning
Ruth Gledhill The Times Bishop of Rochester steps down early
Jonathan Wynne-Jones Telegraph Bishop of Rochester is stepping down
Ruth Gledhill The Times Bishop of Rochester to resign a decade early
Jonathan Wynne-Jones Telegraph Michael Nazir-Ali steps down as Bishop of Rochester
Press Association via the Guardian Controversial bishop quits Rochester diocese
Damian Thompson Telegraph The resignation of Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali is a victory for Islamism
Kent Online Bishop of Rochester resigns
BBC Bishop of Rochester stands down
Jonathan Wynne-Jones Sunday Telegraph Bishop of Rochester resigns to become defender of persecuted Christians
Ruth Gledhill Sunday Times Radical bishop quits early for new mission
Sunday Times leading article A troublesome priest in a timid church
Mail on Sunday Church of England’s most outspoken and only black Bishop is to quit
Note This headline was changed some time after 8 am Sunday, but here is the evidence of the earlier version.
The new headline is Bishop Nazir-Ali, scourge of Church liberals, steps down.
Independent Bishop of Rochester retires
United Press International Pakistani bishop in England resigns
Sunday Mirror I quit: Islam row bishop headline changed to Islam row Bishop of Rochester to step down.
Associated Press of Pakistan Bishop Ali to quit his post: a report
George Pitcher Telegraph Bishop Nazir-Ali retires; a rebellion fizzles out
Riazat Butt Guardian Michael Nazir-Ali steps down to focus on helping persecuted Christians
Ekklesia Anglican bishop resigns and announces plan to support harassed Christians
Melanie Phillips Mail When a bishop has to leave the Church of England to stand up for Christians, what hope is left for Britain?
and a Mail Comment article, We’re losing our faith in a desperate bid to appear inclusive and tolerant
You got to love Damian Thompson. He’s like Cato, ending every speech, article and blog post with “Islamo delenda est”
I’m not sure what is most horrifying: Damian Thompson’s column, or the comments under it.
Ruth Gledhill reports that the Bishop is leaving “to build bridges between Christians and Muslims” in Pakistan. This is undoubtedly a worthy motive, though it is questionable how far he has gone to achieve that goal in this country.
“Much of his new work will involve minority Christian groups in Pakistan – where he was born -and in the Middle East, but Nazir-Ali is thought to be keen to retain a domestic role in Britain as well.” – Ruth Gledhill – Times online – One can only hope that Bishop Nazir-ali’s new role in Pakistan will be eirenic in nature, and not quite so full-one aggressiave towards Muslims as his prectice in the U.K. He needs to examine the ABC’s policy on inter-religious dialogue, which should stand him in better stead than his strongly oppositional stance up until now.… Read more »
Nice to see that the Mail on Sunday has become colour-blind – “only black bishop” – don’t tell Sentamu!
That headline has since been changed, as noted above.
What is even weirder about it though, is that the story was first published with a correct headline, some time prior to 10.30 pm Saturday, viz
Church of England’s most outspoken and only Asian Bishop is to quit
and that headline was then changed to be wrong!
Clearly positioning himself to be the new UK leader of any new body which comes into existence – the Akinolite Jensenist tendency.
The Church of England should celebrate!
re: Melanie Phillips article
Hogwash!
But it sells papers…
My best guess for now is that the ex-Rochester – now with a title rather like a Stradivarius identifier? – will be keeping his options open. Thus flexibly positioned he can consider whatever the right wings of global Anglicanism can offer. This ranges across positions and situations, no doubt. From a virtual reality position – but above xDuncan? – in leading the so-called emergent third province in North America? (But how will turning up the hot button polarizations with Islam actually help in USA? Would we see a new anti-Islam campaign on the USA rights as larger context for helping… Read more »