Online education has opened up the possibility of attending seminary for those limited by their geographic location. With several seminaries offering online courses or distance education programs, questions have been raised concerning the spiritual guidance gained by attending seminary online. Can a spiritual community be formed that encourages and stimulates each students' faith? According to the research conducted by Mary Lowe her article A Summary of the Findings of the Study:Assessing the Impact of Online Courses on the Spiritual Formation of Adult Students, Lowe found in her study that students did mature in their faith and other factors also influenced this spiritual growth apart from the online course itself.

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I had the privilege of celebrating Easter at my sister's Mennonite church.  There's something about hymns in four part a capella harmony and informal congregational sharing that reminds me of the value of community in worship.  When I returned home, there was an email from a professor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary (which isn't that far away from where I had worshipped) mentioning their online courses.  Although they don't offer full degree programs online, they offer more than a dozen online courses in areas of Anabaptist theology, church history, pastoral care, missional church, and leadership.

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