Still Untangling

I recently started reading Richard John Neuhas' American Babylon. An interesting read. He makes this observation: "American theology has suffered from an ecclesiological deficit, leading to an ecclesiological substitution of America for the Church through time"(p. 41). It has long been my contention that Southern Baptists have not had a clearly defined theology of 'church.' Southern Baptist's expansion during the post WW II years may have very well been fueled by a growing sense of national pride and hunger for American supremacy as much as a genuine hunger to grow deeply in the things of God (at least in my humble opinion).
A few pages later Neuhas mentions James Madison's "Memorial and Remonstrance" of 1785 in which Madison suggested that those who enter the political community must have a prior allegiance to God and the laws of God (see Neuhas, 50).
Of course Neuhas writes as a Catholic, suggesting that the Catholic Church is THE church that can locate individual's identity as believers.
So, further untangling is needed. Setting the gospel free from nationalistic leanings, allowing the Gospel to be about the Kingdom of God (see Mark 1:13-15)is the only true hope for individuals. The 'how' is still something I think about, pray about, and try and understand.