We belong to another world

There has always been a tension in Church history between the desire to live in a Christian society with a Christian government and ethic (an idea that later was termed Christendom), and Jesus' stern teaching, "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:25)  When the Reformation came to Northern Europe is was not a rejection of the notion of Christendom, but rather a replacing of the Catholic/Government alliance with a Lutheran/Government or Reformed/Government alliance.  The idea that society could be shaped and molded into a form that would make Jesus' words unnecessary, or at least much less urgent, continued.
That there wasn't any viable alternative to such an arrangement didn't prevent that feeling of unease from continuing.  Eventually, a new form of alliance, one of governmental indifference to religious practice would be attempted by the upstart American government, but such a novel idea needs time to prove its staying power.  There were some, however, who could not stomach the way in which people could be "Christians" and get along in this world with no trouble at all.  How can it be such an easy thing to take up a cross and follow Jesus?
One of the more peculiar of these men was the Danish Lutheran Soren Kierkegaard.  Although much is his writing is rather odd, Kierkegaard was right to point out that, "Original Christianity relates itself so militantly to this world that its view is: not to want to slip happily and comfortably through this world but to take care to collide in dead earnest with this world...Thus there is a world of difference, a heaven of a difference between the Mynsterian life-view (which actually is Epicurean, one of the enjoyment of life, zest for life, belonging to this world) and the Christian view, which is one of suffering, of enthusiasm for death, belonging to another world." (The Moment and Late Writings, p. 206)
What Kierkegaard was trying to explain was the frustration he felt watching a Church which had seemed to make its peace with this world.  A Church that had lost its counter-cultural role because it had been the dominant cultural force for too long.  How does own keep a revolutionary zeal, such as Jesus demonstrated going up against the religious authorities of his day, when the revolution has won?  How do we maintain our "in the world, but not of the world"  (Romans 12:2) fervor when Western culture is so fully intertwined with Christian thought?
The Post-Modern decline of Christendom has alleviated some of this tension, as churches find themselves feeling like outsiders within their own culture once more.  The obligation on those who would follow Jesus of Nazareth will always be to remain salt and light to those around us, beacons of hope calling out for repentance and reconciliation with God; even if you find yourself in the heart of Christendom, this is not your home, our citizenship is in heaven.