Rabbi Yoel Kahn, Chabad's chief theologian, has this to say about the Rebbe's death and his 'role' in the world to this day:
…The right shitah is to say the truth: That now the Rebbe is also alive and affects us here physically. That after Gimmel Tamuz 1994 no change has occurred in the relationship between the Rebbe and chassidim - no change as the Rebbe relates to chassidim and no change as chassidim relate to the Rebbe.
"Chazal tell us (in Sotah 13b) that just like Moses was standing in service of G-d before he became 120 so too he is standing in the service of G-d after 120. It is brought down in holy books that this is said not only of Moses but of all true leaders of Israel in every generation especially in the sichos where the Rebbe speaks of the "hiskashrus" to the Previous Rebbe.
"Obviously, this pertains to the Rebbe too as it is written in Zohar that "when a Tzaddik departs he is to be found in all the worlds more than in his lifetime."
"The difference between the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe is that since the Rebbe Rashab had a son who replaced him the "hashpo" goes through the new leader and Moses of that respective generation. But in the case of the Rebbe since he did not leave anybody to replace him, he continues to affect us just like before.… [One must ask, if this is true (it is not), does this mean every childless leader of Jews is still leading us, even many years or centuries after their deaths? This bizarre thought is now normative in Chabad. – Shmarya.]
Just like before Gimmel Tammuz 1994 people from all walks of life, not only Lubavitchers, would come to the Rebbe on Sundays to receive a dollar and ask for a blessing and witnessed outright miracles today too people from all walks of life come to the Ohel and are blessed with what they need. Some people make a special trip just for that. They land in Kennedy airport, go to the Ohel and fly back just as they came to the Rebbe before Gimmel Tamuz.…
This is part of a loger interview published in Kfar Chabad Magazine in which Rabbi Kahn attacks the theology of the extreme messianists (also known as Sfasniks and Taliban), the guys who pretend to get glasses of wine from the late Rebbe and other insanities. In other words, Rabbi Kahn is not arguing against the now normative Chabad belief that the Rebbe will be the messiah.
For those of you unaware, Gimmel (3) Tammuz is the date on the Jewish calendar of the Rebbe's death.
[Hat Tip: Tzemach Atlas.]