American liberalism is more destructive than French/Continental liberalism in its political-theological stance. While the latter recognized the Church as a competing power, and sought through legislation and other public means to crush it, the former simply denies any such . . .

. . . implicit equality between the liberal order and the Church. It denies the Church is, in any sense, a “power”, enemy or otherwise. Instead, and much more perniciously, it sees it only as one more private club, subject entirely to politics. And it teaches its citizens . . .

. . . to see the Church in that way, as well. All kinds of political and existential consequences flow from this. For example, is it not less likely that people will be willing to suffer martyrdom for a Church they see as merely a club they can opt in our out of? Similarly . . .

. . . the Church’s action in society loses its effectiveness, since its own members begin to resist that action when it exceeds that of a mere association. Ecclesiastical law and legal coercion over the faithful, an inalienable right of the Church over its members still . . .

. . . recognized in canon law begins to seem less and less legitimate. Lay resistance to the authority of the Bishops and the Pope, grounded in the divine law and not in any consent of the people, becomes more and more common, as an absurd application of American political . . .

. . . and legal practice. American liberalism brings into stark relief the absolutely essential nature of the doctrine of the “libertas Ecclesiae.” The liberty of the Church, *as a power* among the powers of the world, to act and exercise its mission, free from any domination.