Just because I know how much you love Eric Voegelin, here's a little "teaser" from him, on the subject you raise, above:
"The good polis will become a nightmare when men forget that their existence has reality only as long as it enacts the dream-play of God."
The insight arises from certain problems in Plato -- who wasn't a Christian. Rather, Plato has been described as the greatest exemplar, perhaps even the apotheosis, of the Dionysiac soul.
tpaine, I know how much you really hate this stuff. Sorry, friend. I just find these ideas quite interesting myself. "Different strokes...." and all that.