The Problem with "Liberal" Religion, in a Sentence

A choice quote explaining "liberal" religion:

Yale sociologist Michele Dillon points out in her book Catholic Identity: Balancing Reason, Faith and Power that for progressive Catholics—like those teaching on Catholic campuses—authority is diffuse: “It is not located solely in the official hierarchical power structure, but it is dispersed, seen in the everyday interpretive activities of ordinary Catholics.-- Abnne Hendershott, "A New Front in the Catholic Campus Culture Wars," First Things. 

This is the essential idea, it seems: that the average is normative, and religion should be a democracy. This is slow death for any religion, and is why "liberal" religions always die. Religion is about the ideal, not the average, or it is not religion. It has nowhere to go.