Russell Cobb at Slate has a review of Michelle Goldberg's new book Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism. Goldberg's book examines the amazing influence on politics and society that the Christian Reconstruction movement has gained over the past quarter century, the lessons its' proponents have learned along the way. Now less confrontational, those seeking Christian nationalism are a far degree subtler in their message and methods (I'd say they've learned well from their association with the Republican Party), and as such Goldberg sees renewed cause for concern. Cobb on the other hand sees growing tensions on the religious right that might undermine its' effectiveness just as its' reaching the pinnacle of its' sociopolitical power:

Goldberg sees this new strategic subtlety at work in the service of a basic intransigence that she finds alarming: You're either with Jesus, or you're with the liberals. It's certainly true that the old guard, like Dobson, often resorts to the confrontational stance not just in battles with the enemy but within the movement itself. Yet part of the reason he's compelled to draw lines in the sand within his own ranks is that there are more than a few fissures in the larger movement, which is less purely politically driven and partisan than Goldberg appreciates. In Kingdom Coming, Patrick Henry [College] comes off as a boot camp for young culture warriors marching in lock step to a unified vision and lacking a basic grasp of critical thought. But Patrick Henry is also a perfect example of tensions within the conservative Christian fold.

...

Dissent is also growing in the faith-based world. David Kuo, a former deputy director of faith-based programs in the White House, expressed frustration with the Bush administration in a June 2005 column on Beliefnet, a clearinghouse for views on American religion. By Kuo's calculation, Bush had delivered only a fraction—$500 million—of the $6.8 billion he promised for faith-based organizations in June 2001. For Kuo, it became clear that the White House wasn't really interested in "poor people stuff." As long as such controversy surfaces on the Christian right, it may be theocracy-fearing liberals whose views are unduly apocalyptic.

I think Cobb's right. It's too early to worry about theocracy though I might add that I don't think it's too early to worry that by the time we do worry it'll be too late. And I think this is the message to be taken from Kingdom Coming. Christian Reconstructionism may have political domination as its' ultimate goal but it is already well on the way to cultural permeation. Ideas about the role and extent of religion in everday American life that would have been totally unacceptable 25 years ago are, if not mainstream, well entertained in the public's mind and religious right leaders such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson are called on regularly to be commentators on geopolitical and scientific issues so far outside their purview as to be laughable if it weren't for the somber and serious accord given their ideas by Washingtonian talking heads. And should the politicians they bought and paid for not stay as bought as they would like, don't worry because they'll create their own.

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