let's write programs that are functional enough that we don't need to write configuration files that are mini-programs

...or procedural programs while we are at it.

I don't disagree with your argument, but the definition can be extended in this use case. If we assume the "configuration" of the software is the target destination. What you can configure imperatively perhaps is in contrast to that what roads to take or not and I believe the term fits reasonably well without it losing precision.