The Moscow Mood - basic differences, and Moscow's take

So Douglas Wilson and Kevin DeYoung are two of my most influential contemporary theological writers.

A few months ago, Kevin critiqued Doug.
Here is Doug Wilson’s response to Kevin.

Some basic disagreements between them seem to be:

What is the right level of political engagement?  
Should we stay a bit distant, focused on more directly spiritual matters (Kevin)?  
Or go full-boar into the fray, since politics IS a spiritual matter (Doug)?

To what extent should we instigate conflict in culture and politics?  
Not much, since it draws attention to the wrong thing (Kevin)?  
As much as possible, since people’s focus needs to be here in this moment (Doug)?

Doug would say, we need to try to set the world right, and not retreat to only our churches and homes.
Kevin would say, to focus less on politics and provocative rhetoric, and more on our churches and homes is not retreat, but a proper biblical focus.

What is the “Moscow Mood”?
Moscow would define it thusly:
You can’t fight a culture without a culture.  The mainstream Reformed Evangelical movement (of which Kevin is coming to be a major leader) does not HAVE a meaningful culture of its own.  Moscow does, and it’s getting attention.  Build Christendom and fight the ungodly culture out there.  We want Christ as Lord over everything.  Not just Sunday morning.  Not just church and family time.

Many think fighting a la Moscow-style means scowling or indulging anger.  It doesn’t.
Fighting well means living a corporate, embodied Christianity with a purpose.

Lots of young people hear what they are supposed to be doing, but know they are not doing it, b/c they aren’t plugged into a community.  Faith is in the upper story only, to use Francis Schaeffer’s categories.  How do we live it out down here, in the lower story?  Or do we only escape to the upper story to live out our godliness and piety?  Christians don’t know how to build a robust Christian life here on earth.  God is bringing the Kingdom of God to earth, not only by the direct work of His Son apart from us, but also through our work here, building families, churches, communities and nations.

The mainstream Reformed Evangelical movement has forsaken this for either a carnal political solution (joining the Trump train, or going Sojourner/liberal mainline).  Or, rejecting that, an escapist pietism that ignores politics as much as possible.

Next time I’ll respond to Kevin’s critiques of this “mood.”
A hint: some of it is off base.  Some of it hits the mark.