The purpose of seminary is to help youth and young adults understand and rely on the teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ, qualify for the blessings of the temple, and prepare themselves, their families, and others for eternal life with their Father in Heaven. The purpose of online seminary is to provide these same opportunities for students whose priesthood leaders feel it is a better option for them, due to distance or other compelling factors. Online seminary is a new addition to the existing daily, released-time, and home-study seminary classes. It can bless the lives of the students who participate in it, but there are several factors priesthood leaders should consider before offering it as an option to the students in your area.

What should priesthood leaders consider before offering online seminary? The stake president, in counsel with the seminaries and institutes coordinator, decides which type of seminary classes to offer and who may participate in those different classes. Online seminary is not intended to replace established daily or released-time classes. When deciding what classes to provide, preference should be given to classes where students meet face to face. Online classes should be considered in situations where students cannot meet each weekday because of distance or other limiting factors, where home-study has been the primary means of participating in seminary. Online seminary is preferred to home-study classes when students and teachers have daily access to a computer with a high-speed Internet connection. Here is an example of a situation where online seminary can be used to provide a meaningful seminary experience: The Rosebud Stake has six wards and two branches. There are several early-morning classes with called teachers who meet with their students. However, the priesthood leaders have identified several students who live too far away to be able to travel to and from seminary each day. In the past, these students have been in home-study seminary, a daily class taught by a parent, or for various reasons, have not been able to participate in seminary at all. In all cases, the online seminary class is taught by a teacher called by stake leaders. A ward or stake could have more than one online class if they have a sufficient amount of students.