Pardon moi? Come play the newest shell game to hit The Episcopal Church: Go Fish!

I received an interesting e-mail tonight from a leading progressive Episcopal communicator where he redefines "amicable separation" as "Anglican provinces ministering in one another's territory."

Well, that sure was news to me.

It was rather interesting that he took a phrase used by Episcopal and Anglican evangelicals without questioning his own assumptions and apparently redefined the phrase to mean "Anglican provinces ministering in one another's provinces."

Would someone please take a look under that shell?

I would caution those who drop by the BabyBlueCafe to be very careful when some noteworthy progressives take the English language - including phrases that we think we understand (time to get out those little boxes!) - and then redefine those phrases like strawmen. It doesn't mean what we thought it means - and of course, that's the point!

We may think we are talking about the same thing but in fact, we are not (for example, a critical issue dividing the Episcopal Church right now is the redefining - or what they call the reimagining - of Jesus - we no longer have agreement on who Jesus is or why He died or even if He ever really rose from the dead). It seems as though the term "amicable separation" is now undergoing a major reinventing process to now mean "Anglican provinces ministering in one another's territory."

Pardon moi?

That is a brand new definition and one created by progressives.

The question is: Why?

When the phrase “amicable separation" is used, should we assume that the new reimagined, redefined, reinvented phrase to now mean that we are actually authorizing progressive Episcopal bishops to zoom willy nilly over to orthodox Anglican provinces of the Global South and willfully spread their "anything goes" theology without concern for the consequences?

Under what shell did they find that word "amicable separation?"

Is this what they mean when they say they are in favor of "Anglican provinces ministering in one another's territory?" Just who are they talking about? Is this a slam against the Global South?

What sort of game is this?

Go Fish.