Retraction On St. Louis Seminary Not Using Pieper

By: Rev. Jack Cascione

Reclaim News sent out a news release based on information received from a student at the St. Louis Seminary.  The student reported that Pieper's "Christian Dogmatics" is no longer the primary text required for Systematics Classes at the St. Louis Seminary.

According to the following reply from President Johnson, this information is incorrect. We apologize to President Johnson for publishing incorrect information.

However, there is no question that the St. Louis Seminary is planning to offer graduate credit for courses taken by pastors at PLI, Pastoral Leadership Institute.  The LCMS Board for Higher Education has refused to grant PLI Recognized Service Organization Status, yet the St. Louis Seminary is planning to offer Seminary credits for classes taken at this non-LCMS "Seminary without walls."  The curriculum of PLI is not regulated or approved by the LCMS Convention.




From: Johnson, John <johnsonj@csl.edu>
To: Rev. David Dissen <dd@clas.net>
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 10:53 AM
Subject: RE: Change in basic text


David,
  I had this e-mail from you when I returned to the office this
morning from an out of town trip.
  The information you received concerning Pieper's Dogmatics is an utter
falsehood.  For all basic dogmatics courses (Systematics
I,II,III) Pieper continues to be the required basic text (along with
additional collateral books and materials of course). While I knew
this to be the case, I just returned from the bookstore where I
checked the texts for all sections of the courses.
  I do not know the source of the false information you received but
frankly, I believe it is incumbent on you to confront the person
with the fact that he is promulgating an untruth.
  Dr. Johnson


-----Original Message-----
From: Rev. David Dissen [mailto:dd@clas.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2002 6:05 PM
To: Johnson, John
Subject: Change in basic text


Dear President Johnson,

I have received some disturbing information and am simply writing you to
verify if this info is fact or fiction.
It has been brought to my attention that Pieper's Christian Dogmatics---a
true classic which I was taught at the Sem---is no longer being used as the
basic text for introductory classes in systematic theology at the STLS.

Is this true?

If it is true, who made the decision to quit using Pieper's Christian
Dogmatics as the basic text?

Why was this decision made?

If it is being replaced, what is replacing it?

I have great concerns since I have not yet seen any dogmatics that compares
to what I was taught at the Sem.

I await your response.

Serving our Savior and our Seminary and Synod,


Dave Dissen
Rev. 2,10b


October 21 , 2002