Separated Brethren: A Review of Protestant, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox & Other Religions in the United States

Rating:
Summary: "I have other sheep...."
Review: "Separated Brethren" was first published 40 years ago and has been revised and updated twice since then. That this book is still around is proof of its being an excellent one-volume reference guide on religious denominations in the United States; I myself found this title very instructive and well-written. The book mostly concerns Christian denominations not in union with the Roman Catholic Church, yet author William J. Whalen includes non-Christian religions as well, such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, the Baha'i faith, and the better-known cults. Given the fact that Mr. Whalen is Catholic and Our Sunday Visitor is a well-known Catholic publishing house, the book compares the beliefs of the "separated brethren" to Catholic teaching, yet it is remarkably objective at the same time. Mr. Whalen does not fall into a condescending or critical mode; he simply discusses the origins of the different churches and describes their beliefs. He will at times provide slightly droll commentary on teachings that appear odd to mainstream Christians, especially teachings from denominations that claim to be Christian such as the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses. A lot, though, has happened in the non-Catholic religious world since this third edition of "Separated Brethren" came out in 1979; take, for example, the merger of two major Lutheran churches in the United States; the establishment of ultra-traditionalist Catholic groups which have separated from Rome; the rise of Messianic Judaism; renewed debates in the larger Protestant denominations on matters of morality; increased defections of conservative Anglicans/Episcopalians into the Catholic Church; and the role of the Orthodox churches in a post-Communist Russia and Eastern Europe. All these events, plus the hopelessly outdated church figures some 20-plus years old, make it necessary for the book to be revised as soon as possible.

Rating:
Summary: Essential reading for any Christian
Review: Of all the books on my shelf, Wm. Joseph Whalen's Separated Brethren is among the most instructive and the least dispensable. This is the first book I bought after converting to Catholicism, but that is not why I treasure it. Its pages are now yellowed and its cover worn, but I treasure it because it has everything I want in a book. It is concise, easy to read, gripping and addresses an issue that anyone who seeks truth should examine if he is truly sincere in his search. Which Church is the true one? Whalen answers this clearly by presenting the facts of history.

Whalen's Separated Brethren is not apologetic in style, but it is apologetic in effect as it enumerates with certainty the post-apostolic origins of non-Catholic, Christian religions. Like Foxe's Book of Martyrs? Read this. You will be blown away when you see the other side of the coin. Are you a Christian who would like to see the early Church restored? Read this and find that She never died. She is, perhaps, unrecognizable, but only because She has grown more wise and beautiful.

Whalen also brings together in one volume the teachings of all the mainline Protestant traditions, as well as some cults and some non-Christian traditions. I would like this book to be in the hands of every Catholic who thinks that it doesn't matter which church you go to. They are NOT all the same.

A quote from "Critic" on the back cover calls this book "a masterpiece of synthesis." Well said.

Rating:
Summary: Concise, informative, and tries hard to be fair
Review: Separated Brethren is a nice compendium of information on the wide range of Faiths outside of the Roman Catholic Church. William Whalen is to be commended on his efforts to be matter-of-fact, and in most cases, succeeds at tempering bias. The book is an engaging read, full of information, well balanced, and broad in scope.

There are a few instances where the text contains implied judgement. Particular scorn is reserved for the Mormans (as would, of course, be fitting for such a religion that has the gall to call itself Christian). Whalen cannot resist the occasional contrast against Roman Catholicism, and I got the impression that apologists for the various Faiths described would not have focussed quite so much on certain aspects.

Nevertheless, it must be recognized that this is a book written to assist Catholics in ecumenical and interfaith understanding, rather than a purportedly unbiased review of religions. As such, it is perfectly acceptable to feel the loss of critical aspects of the Catholic Faith within those religions that derive from the Mother Church.

As a side note, since some Baptists claim their church "pre-dates Christ," I suspect they would be quite offended by their place on the "Christian Family Tree" in Whalen's book. I also suspect that when even the Pope recognizes Eastern Orthodoxy as "the second lung" of The Church, the placement of the Eastern Orthodox church on a branch would cause significant resentment.

Finally, most notably lacking in the book was treatment of the Traditionalist Catholics. Their claim is that the second largest denomination in America is "Catholics who left after Vatican II." While SSPX might be relatively small in America, I would consider their presence at least as worthy of note as "The Old Catholics."