We do not live in the Christendom world inhabited by the Reformers. What it means to affirm a sacred/secular dichotomy in a Christendom situation is not the same as what it means to affirm that kind of dichotomy in a post-Christendom situation. We cannot just quote Althusius (or whoever) as if it were adequate to the needs of the moment. Just as Renn points out that we need to develop pastoral and evangelistic strategies for “negative world,” so we need to develop a political theology for the post-Christendom situation in which we live - with the goal of forming a renewed Christendom. A political theology developed within Christendom is quite different from developing a political theology that will create a new Christendom. The “secular” side of the sacred/secular dischotomy is entirely different today than it was 500, 300, 100, or even 50 years ago and it crucial for the church to recognize this.
