An Online Community of Faith
Connectedness is a guiding principle of this seminary and as such one of the primary modes of educational delivery occurs through seminary program and course discussion boards and community sites, as well as through live online class discussions. Yet, while groups are often rewarding, they can also elicit anxiety and in some cases can become harmful. While psychotherapy groups are often overseen by extensive ethics boards and law, spiritual groups do not have the same oversight and rather must rely on the ethics of the members involved. As such, OSC has established its core ethics as follows:
- Compassion, openness, awareness, insight, respect, protection, and boundaries guide the college's structure, interaction, and community. As such, you will never be asked to engage in any activity that violates your safety (psychological, physical, or spiritual) and personal boundaries (sexual solicitation, nudity, inappropriate language, threatening/abusive language/behavior, etc.). Students who violate these guidelines will be promptly dismissed from this institution.
- Free will is of utmost importance and as such, you may continue or discontinue your studies at any time without harassment or explanations required; simply see the Cancellation page located within the Student Portal.
- Your spiritual beliefs are ultimately your own and as such OSC encourage you to ask questions and blend what you feel is truthful to you. You do not need to give up any religious/spiritual affiliations that you hold with other groups or systems of faith. OSC encourages you to be as discriminate about information you read or discuss.
- Confidentiality and safety within the group is very important. OSC asks that each student respect the confidentiality of each other and recognize that as a spiritual institution, some members may share painful experiences in their lives. Creating an expansive, encouraging environment is the responsibility of all students and staff; OSC will discontinue the studies of individuals who engage in harmful responses, such as discriminatory, judgmental, or degrading feedback.
- OSC firmly believes that learning is cooperative. With that said, please never hesitate to ask questions at any time or to contribute your own thoughts. No one individual (or religion) has a corner on the spiritual market.