Taking the reader on a journey through a country in the grips of a fevered religious radicalism, in "Kingdom Coming", Michelle Goldberg demonstrates how the growing influence of dominionism - the doctrine that Christians have the right to rule non-believers - is threatening the foundations of democracy. "Kingdom Coming" offers the powerful testimony of "regular" Americans to illustrate the subversive effect of a conservative stranglehold, and it urges Americans to turn their attention to the mechanisms of an insidious fundamentalism opposed to science, pluralism and reason. It contains a new epilogue.

About the Author

MICHELLE GOLDBERG is a contributing writer to Salon. Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Newsday and many other newspapers. A "The New York Times" best-seller. Author Web site: www.kingdomcoming.com

Reviews

Salon.com editor Goldberg examines the growing belief among some Chirstians that they have a right to take over governing in Christ's name. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

"In Kingdom Coming, [Goldberg] has produced some excellent firsthand reporting of [the fundamentalists'] essential weirdness, even as she overcame their aversion to her Jewishness." Stephen Bates, The Guardian"

In an impressive piece of lucid journalism, Salon.com reporter Goldberg dives into the religious right and sorts out the history and networks of what to most liberals is an inscrutable parallel universe. She deconstructs "dominion theology," the prevalent evangelical assertion that Christians have a "responsibility to take over every aspect of society." Goldberg makes no attempt to hide her own partisanship, calling herself a "secular Jew and ardent urbanite" who wrote the book because she "was terrified by America's increasing hostility to... cosmopolitan values." This carefully researched and riveting treatise will hardly allay its audience's fears, however; secular liberals and mainstream believers alike will find Goldberg's descriptions of today's culture wars deeply disturbing. She traces the deep financial and ideological ties between fundamentalist Christians and the Republican Party, and discloses the dangers she believes are inherent to the Bush administration's faith-based social services initiative. Other chapters follow inflammatory political tactics on wedge issues like gay rights, evolution and sex education. Significantly, her conclusions do not come off as hysterical or shrill. Even while pointing to stark parallels between fascism and the language of the religious right, Goldberg's vision of America's future is measured and realistic. Her book is a potent wakeup call to pluralists in the coming showdown with Christian nationalists. (May 15) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.