John Carroll and Religious Liberty: Catholicism, Liberalism, and Church–State Rapprochement in Early America

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In order for the article to provide readers with an insight into certain real aspects of religious freedom in the United States during the era of John Carroll – an era that cannot be considered a model for "other nations" (852)—it is desirable not to rely on the often very brief comments of various authors, but to offer readers suggestive excerpts from John Carroll's letters and to comment on the legal status of religious freedom. It is also advisable not to remain a prisoner of religious affiliation, i.e., the Catholic Church, but to refer to the norms of natural law, those of the Church and of the American people, from illo tempore, regarding the right to religious freedom, which you should evaluate by referring also to the norms of international law today.Provide at least a few documentary testimonies of how the followers of the various Protestant Churches at that time understood religious freedom and how their fellow citizens of other faiths or religious confessions were treated, accompanied by the Vatican's reactions in this regard.

 

 

 

Author Response

Reviewer 1:

• We would encourage you to briefly explain how Protestant contemporaries of John Carroll reacted to his thought. In what ways was their thinking similar or different from his philosophy? As some of this is already covered in section 3.2, this seems like a natural place to work in an additional paragraph or two addressing how various religious traditions in the United States at the time engaged with the principle of religious liberty. It may be worthwhile to focus on differences between more established Protestant churches (who may have been less likely to support religious freedom and toleration) and smaller sects (who may have relied more on religious freedom for their own practices).
• Response: This suggestion has been incorporated in paragraphs 2 and 3 of page 6.

 

• In order for the article to provide readers with an insight into certain real aspects of religious freedom in the United States during the era of John Carroll – an era that cannot be considered a model for "other nations" (852)—it is desirable not to rely on the often very brief comments of various authors, but to offer readers suggestive excerpts from John Carroll's letters and to comment on the legal status of religious freedom.
• Response: Line 852 has dropped the phrase “model for other nations.”

 

• It is also advisable not to remain a prisoner of religious affiliation, i.e., the Catholic Church, but to refer to the norms of natural law, those of the Church and of the American people, from illo tempore, regarding the right to religious freedom, which you should evaluate by referring also to the norms of international law today.
• Response: References to natural law/natural rights and contemporary international law have been further incorporated.

 

• Provide at least a few documentary testimonies of how the followers of the various Protestant Churches at that time understood religious freedom and how their fellow citizens of other faiths or religious confessions were treated, accompanied by the Vatican's reactions in this regard.
• Response: Paragraph added addressing the praise and recognition Carroll received from non-Catholic peers and revolutionary leaders at the bottom of page 15 into 16.
• 2 Paragraphs added about the denominational distinctions in approaches to religious liberty on page 6.
• Mention is given to Vatican responses to these issues in a footnote in the conclusion.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

First of all, a very timely article, especially for the U.S. context where a number of Catholics are caught up in the “Christian” Nationalist movement.    It is also well suited for classroom use and gathers in one place a lot of important texts from original sources.

I really just a few minor edits and a formatting question for the long citations

Footnote #1 – I recommend making noted that neither did Catholic Presidents Joe Biden or John F. Kennedy (although in the case of Biden kissing the Pope's ring might not have been an option on account that Francis strongly discouraged the custom). 

Line #66 – footnote 2 is highlighted

Footnote #15 – spacing issue in text

Line # - 300 – sentence fragment (looks like it just needs to be deleted)

Line # 440 “…….mind/ Plowden….. ”   delete "/" should be  ……mind. Plowden……

Line #469– “Second. Carroll…..” period, should be a comma

Footnote #49 – spacing issue in text

Line #597 -“… attacked Suarez – for what.” I understand that emphasis, but more conventionally this would be written either as “..attacked Suarez.  For what?”  (or simply “Why?” or “But why?”)

Line #619 – add “and” should be “religious toleration and heretics”

Line #629 – “Where” should not be capitalized (unless, this is a direct quote from De Soto)

Line# 681 – add “it” I think it should be  -“ …whatever the Catholic tradition Carroll drew on in the formation of his political thought, it was”

Lines #704 and #705 – the word “did” is repeated. The first did on line 704 should be deleted

Lines #714 and #715 - This sentence is unclear – “In this gap lay  the right to religious liberty worldly church or a spiritualized state to interfere.”

Lines #716 and #717 - This sentence is a little awkward –  “A more specific form of this position known as Gallicanism was very prominent in France during Carroll’s years in and around France as a Jesuit academic”   maybe  “A more specific form of this position known as Gallicanism was very prominent in France when and where Carroll was a Jesuit academic.”   

Lines #719 and #720 – some missing words in this sentence. “Carroll would have had ample to the Gallican tradition given his geographical and professional proximity.”   Maybe it should be “ample time to learn the Gallican…..”

Line #802 – add thought  “Evidently, Carroll himself thought that the balance was a delicate one but it was yet….

Footnote #78 -  spacing issue in text

Line #866 and #867 - spacing issue in text

Line #929 and #930 - spacing issue in text

Line #957 and #958 - spacing issue in text

Lastly, the formatting question. There are several long citations that are not distinguished from your writing in the conventual manner that I am familiar with.  Your short quotes are in parenthesis, but these longer citations below are not. Often longer quotes are distinguished in the text by using a smaller font and more narrow margins.  (But check with Religion guidelines for formatting these long citations)

Line #340 to line #350

Line #356 to line #366

Line #395 to line #402

Line #446 to line #461

Line #479 to line #489

Line #513 to line #533

Line #729 to line #736

Line #773 to line #784

Line #794 to line #801

Line #837 to line #848

Author Response

Reviewer 2 makes several helpful and specific typographical suggestions. Regarding the question of the block quotes, the MDPI style guide indicates that the exact formatting of block quotes will be completed by a layout editor during production. Should you wish to get a head start on this formatting, the style guide indicates: "Long quotations may appear as a block quotation: a separate paragraph set off from the rest of the text with an indent on both sides." This will assist with the readability of the paper. We look forward to receiving a revised version of this manuscript and including it in our special issue of Religions! Sincerely, Andre P. Audette (on behalf of the guest editors)

Reviewer 2:

First of all, a very timely article, especially for the U.S. context where a number of Catholics are caught up in the “Christian” Nationalist movement. It is also well suited for classroom use and gathers in one place a lot of important texts from original sources. I really just a few minor edits and a formatting question for the long citations

• Footnote #1 – I recommend making noted that neither did Catholic Presidents Joe Biden or John F. Kennedy (although in the case of Biden kissing the Pope's ring might not have been an option on account that Francis strongly discouraged the custom).
• Suggestion followed, footnote amended.
• Line #66 – footnote 2 is highlighted
• Highlight removed
• Footnote #15
• Issue unclear
• spacing issue in text Line # - 300 – sentence fragment (looks like it just needs to be deleted)
• Fragment corrected
• Line # 440 “…….mind/ Plowden….. ” delete "/" should be ……mind. Plowden……
• Corrected
• Line #469– “Second. Carroll…..” period, should be a comma
• Corrected
• Footnote #49 – spacing issue
• Corrected; Extra space between “49” and “”Aquinas” deleted
• in text Line #597 -“… attacked Suarez – for what.” I understand that emphasis, but more conventionally this would be written either as “..attacked Suarez. For what?” (or simply “Why?” or “But why?”)
• Corrected
• Line #619 – add “and” should be “religious toleration and heretics”
• Added “for” and clarified the sentence structure.
• Line #629 – “Where” should not be capitalized (unless, this is a direct quote from De Soto)
• Corrected
• Line# 681 – add “it” I think it should be -“ …whatever the Catholic tradition Carroll drew on in the formation of his political thought, it was”
• Corrected
• Lines #704 and #705 – the word “did” is repeated. The first did on line 704 should be deleted
• First “did” deleted
• Lines #714 and #715 - This sentence is unclear – “In this gap lay the right to religious liberty worldly church or a spiritualized state to interfere.”
• Clarified
• Lines #716 and #717 - This sentence is a little awkward – “A more specific form of this position known as Gallicanism was very prominent in France during Carroll’s years in and around France as a Jesuit academic” maybe “A more specific form of this position known as Gallicanism was very prominent in France when and where Carroll was a Jesuit academic.”
• Corrected, suggestion taken
• Lines #719 and #720 – some missing words in this sentence. “Carroll would have had ample to the Gallican tradition given his geographical and professional proximity.” Maybe it should be “ample time to learn the Gallican…..”
• Added ample “exposure”
• Line #802 – add thought “Evidently, Carroll himself thought that the balance was a delicate one but it was yet….
• Corrected
• Footnote #78
• Spacing issue corrected
• spacing issue in text Line #866 and #867 –
• Issue unclear.
• spacing issue in text Line #929 and #930 –
• Issue unclear
• spacing issue in text Line #957 and #958 - spacing issue in text
• Issue resolved
• Lastly, the formatting question. There are several long citations that are not distinguished from your writing in the conventual manner that I am familiar with. Your short quotes are in parenthesis, but these longer citations below are not. Often longer quotes are distinguished in the text by using a smaller font and more narrow margins. (But check with Religion guidelines for formatting these long citations)
• Line #340 to line #350
• Corrected; Indented on both sides
• Line #356 to line #366
• Corrected; Indented on both sides
• Line #395 to line #402
• This quote only goes from 394 to 396
• Line #446 to line #461
• Quote starts at 453. Corrected; Indented on both sides
• Line #479 to line #489
• Quote starts at 488-498. Corrected; Indented on both sides
• Line #513 to line #533
• Quote starts at line 520-539. Corrected; Indented on both sides
• Line #729 to line #736
• Quote starts at line 739-745 Corrected; Indented on both sides
• Line #773 to line #784
• Quote is only 3 lines long
• Line #794 to line #801
• Quote starts at line 804-811 Corrected; Indented on both sides
• Line #837 to line #848
• Quotes starts at line 848-859. Corrected; Indented on both sides