Goldberg, Michelle

PERSONAL:

Born in Buffalo, NY. Education: Attended State University of New York at Purchase; State University of New York at Buffalo, graduated; University of California, Berkeley, M.A.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Brooklyn, NY. Office—Salon.com, 41 E. 11th St., 11th Fl., New York, NY 10003. E-mail—info@kingdomcoming.com.

CAREER:

Writer, journalist, and educator. Salon.com, New York, NY, senior writer, 2002—. New York University Graduate School of Journalism, instructor.

WRITINGS:

Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, W.W. Norton (New York, NY), 2006.

Author of columns for the San Francisco Bay Guardian and Shift Magazine. Contributor to August in the Empire State, a film documentary covering the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York, NY. Contributor to periodicals, including Rolling Stone, New York Observer, Utne Reader, Newsday, In These Times, Guardian (London, England), and New Republic Online.

SIDELIGHTS:

Michelle Goldberg is a Brooklyn-based journalist and author who is a senior writer for the prominent Web magazine Salon.com. Goldberg's first book, Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, is an in-depth study of the religious right in America, the steady growth of political and financial power of this strongly conservative movement, and the effects the exercise of this power is having on American law and society. Based on her own extensive reporting at huge conservative churches, antievolution conferences, homeschooling conventions, and other ultraright gatherings and events, the book describes a "dangerous brew of fundamentalist Christianity and belligerent nationalism" that threatens the most fundamental rights and freedoms of Americans, commented Peter Steinfels in the American Prospect. Goldberg provides extensive background and history on the religious right and traces the intricate networks that support the causes of religious fundamentalism and its unwelcome insinuation into American politics and policymaking. "Though her conclusions are measured, she does little to hide her fear that this movement, often so antithetical to democratic values, is gaining great political power with little regard for the philosophies of freedom and equality safeguarded in the Constitution," commented Hannah Eaves on GreenCine.

Among other subjects covered by Goldberg are deep-rooted ties between the fundamentalists and the Republican Party; the controversies surrounding faith-based social services and government funding of such agencies; the passionate battles that erupt over the topic of intelligent design; crisis pregnancy centers that mislead or outright lie to women about their reproductive health; draconian, abstinence-only sex education; the hatred and virulence of antigay movements; and religious-based discrimination in business. "This carefully researched and riveting treatise will hardly allay its audience's fears" of the unchecked growth of fundamentalist and right-wing influence in America, noted a Publishers Weekly contributor. However, Goldberg offers a number of suggestions for creating a progressive, grassroots movement to counter the dangers she sees in the encroachment of Christian nationalism. "Goldberg's reports are full of concrete, eye-opening detail, made all the more convincing by her conscientious efforts to keep things in perspective," observed Steinfels. The Publishers Weekly reviewer called the book "an impressive piece of lucid journalism."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

American Prospect, September, 2006, Peter Steinfels, "Be Not Afraid," review of Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, p. 53.

First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, August-September, 2006, Ross Douthat, "Theocracy, Theocracy, Theocracy," review of Kingdom Coming, p. 23.

Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2006, review of Kingdom Coming, p. 273.

Publishers Weekly, April 3, 2006, review of Kingdom Coming, p. 64.

ONLINE

BuzzFlash.com,http://www.buzzflash.com/ (June 1, 2006), Mark Karlin, "Michelle Goldberg's Gone to the MegaChurch and She Found Christian Nationalism There," interview with Michelle Goldberg.

Gothamist,http://www.gothamist.com/ (June 16, 2006), interview with Michelle Goldberg.

GreenCine,http://www.greencine.com/ (September 5, 2006), Hannah Eaves, "Michelle Goldberg in the Empire State," interview with Michelle Goldberg.

Kingdom Coming Web site,http://www.kingdomcoming.com (November 19, 2006).

Michelle Goldberg Web log,http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/30059/ (November 19, 2006).*