I belive the "intent" in part 61 is for the approach to be carried out as a *normal* approach, and not some mickey mouse way of keeping current.
I still think that if you shoot the IAP in or through IMC but break out at or above DH or MDA, but continue the full approach (either to land, missed or something else), then this is acceptable for logging as a proper approach. Mr Lynch seems to indicate this, he doen not mention that it must be IMC down to DH or MDA, and nor do the FARs, but what he does say is that the approach must be continued until MAP, which seems fair enough to me.