Preterism, Conquest and the Theology of Glory?

 

Part 1 of this question is found here:
http://christocentry.blogspot.com/2010/04/church-life-and-eschatology.html

Martin Luther got the ball rolling, as he synthesized the contrasting conceptions of The Theology of Glory and The Theology of the Cross.  His most famous theses about this are numbers 19 and 20 from the record of the Heidelberg Disputation.  They need explaining more than can be done in this post.  But, to start your thinking, late me transcribe them here (follow the links for more information):

19)  That person does not deserve to be called a theologian who looks upon the »invisible« things of God as though they were clearly »perceptible in those things which have actually happened« (Rom. 1:20; cf. 1 Cor 1:21-25),

20)  He deserves to be called a theologian, however, who comprehends the visible and manifest things of God seen through suffering and the cross.

The effect of these theses is to turn the usual vision of the world and the flesh upside down. What appears "great" to the world is small to God.  What is great with God is "small" to the world.  For God is determined that the world only know him through the foolishness of what is preached, and not by any wisdom of its own whatsoever.  Therefore, the true divine assessment of greatness is often the inverse of what the world sees.  It is the weak, powerless, unranking, who receive the gospel, not usually the powerful and mighty (in worldly terms).  The meek shall inherit the earth.

In personal terms, the way up (closer to God), is down, through repentance, the cross, and peace with God.  The way down (away from God) is up, through human wisdom, power and greatness.

So, in the relationship between eschatology and church life, or eschatology and personal spirituality, can an undigested "preterism," or a naively actuated vision of cultural conquest, lead toward a "theology of glory," with the consequent negative effects on visions of individual calling and of church life?