Deneen and Munoz on American liberalism

My friend, neighbor, and colleague, Patrick Deneen, recently wrote a thoughtful essay in First Things (subscription required) called "Unsustainable Liberalism," the thesis of which is that "liberalism's contradictions are unsustainable and we must see man and nature anew."  Another friend, neighbor, and colleage -- Phillip Munoz -- has an also-thoughtful response, here, at Public Discourse:  "Why Social Conservatives Should Be Patriotic Americans:  A Critique of Patrick Deneen."  Munoz concludes:

Rather than trying to create something new, I would direct us to the more modest task of recovering something we have unfortunately lost. America’s true liberal heritage is not to be found in Hobbes or Rawls, but rather in the natural rights philosophy of our founding fathers and in the natural rights statesmanship of Abraham Lincoln.

In our natural rights tradition, we can find a commitment to truth and a profound respect for nature and the natural order created by God. I also believe it offers our best hope for a more sustainable liberalism.

  Check out both . . .