Benefits of a Distributed Learning Model

By the Very Rev. Dr. Mark C. Lee, PhD

In my short time as the Dean and President of Bexley Seabury Seminary, I have met with and heard from many people. Feedback regarding our distributed learning model is mixed; while many appreciate the approach, others have raised concerns about educational quality. 

The common misunderstanding is that Bexley Seabury Seminary is an “online” school. This is not entirely true because of the hybrid, online (both synchronous and asynchronous), and in-person forms of courses we offer. Bexley Seabury offers faith-forward enrichment for all people from community leaders to aspiring clergy.

Bexley Seabury Seminary’s distributed format of theological education meets particular and unique needs for theological education of the larger Church and the world. Ultimately, we exist to meet individuals exactly where they are, blazing new pathways for prophetic and pastoral service in response to God’s call.

1. Accessibility: Bexley Seabury Seminary’s distributed learning model is designed to be affordable and accessible to a wider range of students, including those with jobs, families, or geographic constraints. Flexible, fully online, and hybrid courses enables students in geographically remote locations, as well as those who might have physical limitations, to receive theological education wherever they are. 
   
   We are proud to be faithful to our mission, especially in providing theological educational opportunities for Native American and First Nations people with the establishment of the Indigenous Theological Circle (ITC), made possible by the large Lilly grant we recently received. This is not only a first in the Episcopal Church, but a wonderful way to be realigned to one of our earliest missional goals.

2. Inclusivity: At Bexley Seabury Seminary, we hold our legacy and history while envisioning a vibrant and inclusive future – accessible theological education is truly being inclusive of all. By ensuring theological education is accessible to students regardless of their location, life circumstances, or financial background, we form lay and clergy leaders to proclaim God’s mission in the world, creating new networks of Christian formation, entrepreneurial leadership, and bold inquiry in the service of the Gospel.

3. Flexibility: With Bexley Seabury Seminary’s distributed learning model, individuals can learn at their own pace and on their own schedules through a blend of live online classes and self-paced coursework methods. Students, particularly those who are bi-vocational or with many other obligations, desire flexible scheduling in terms of available classes and when they can take them, as well as how many classes they might be able to take each term. 

4. Scalability: The Bexley Seabury distributed learning model equips lay and ordained leaders to be the voice, hands, and feet of Jesus on their own schedule. Many of our programs can build into another. For example, the Certificate of Theological Studies (CTS) can build into the Diploma of Anglican Studies (DAS), which then can build into the MDiv. 

5. Diversity: Not only are students and faculty at Bexley Seabury diverse; Bexley Seabury prepares individuals for both ordained and lay leadership with diverse educational methods to assist students with their different learning needs.
   
   Bexley Seabury offers the Deacons Formation Collaborative (DFC) program, which helps individuals who seek to serve the Church as vocational deacons. Our “Pathways for Living” program offers enhanced education without necessarily being enrolled in a formal program. 
   
   Recognizing that people experience diversity in the ways they learn, Bexley Seabury launched an experimental Mentor Assessed Program (MAP), which is currently for those who are interested in obtaining an MDiv. This program is a nice complement to our Competency Assessed Program (CAP), based on the Competency Based Theological Education (CBTE) modality of education. 

6. Intentionality: Bexley Seabury provides individuals a unique spiritual journey rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum. Faculty and advisors act as companions who guide students through their individualized journeys. Community formation is intentional in all our courses, prayer gatherings, and in-person activities throughout the educational process.

7. Affordability: Bexley Seabury’s distributed learning model allows students to remain in their home communities and ministry contexts so that they don’t need to relocate; rather, they can apply their learning immediately into their real-world setting and continue to meet their current family and community obligations. We strive to make theological education affordable through institutional financial aid, fellowships, scholarships and with our low-overhead, non-residential learning model.

8. Mission-Oriented: Bexley Seabury Seminary’s goal is to form leaders who are actively engaged in congregational and community life, equipping them for prophetic and pastoral service in a changing world. Bexley Seabury creates a safe learning space for moving and thought-provoking conversation about faith, justice, and what it means to build bridges in a world of walls. 

Operating as a Seminary Beyond Walls, our entire operational framework, curriculum, and community life are designed to move past traditional boundaries to serve a changing church and world.

Calls to ministry are unique! Speak with our admissions team to explore how our flexible, distributed learning model can nurture your lay leadership or ordination path right where you live: admissions@bexleyseabury.edu.

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