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Student Life

Life at Lyell Seminary is simple, structured, relational, and deeply spiritual.


We are a global, online seminary—but our community feels personal, connected, and anchored in shared rhythms.

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Everything we do is shaped by our core commitments:

  • intimacy with the Father

  • Torah-pursuant living

  • spiritual formation

  • serious scholarship

  • emotional honesty

  • mentoring and community

  • integrity with AI

  • gentleness, humility, and truth

 

Lyell is not fast. It is not loud. It is not chaotic. It is slow, deep, and steady.

A Formation-Centered Community

Your life as a Lyell student revolves around formation more than content.

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Every student receives:

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1. A Personal Mentor

 

Your mentor is a faculty member who knows your name, follows your story, and guides your formation through the IEP.

 

You meet every month for:

  • reflection

  • prayer

  • Torah practice guidance

  • discernment

  • academic care

  • emotional honesty

 

Mentoring is the heart of Lyell Seminary.

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2. An Individual Encounter Plan (IEP)

 

Your IEP shapes your year through:

  • heart (emotions)

  • soul (intimacy with God)

  • mind (Scripture and study)

  • strength (habits, boundaries)

  • Torah rhythm

  • prayer rhythm

  • community

  • authentic use of AI

 

It grows and changes with you.

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3. Formation Arc

 

You will walk through a gentle arc:

  • resistance

  • honesty

  • surrender

  • breakthrough

  • consolidation

  • integration

 

This arc shapes your entire experience.

A Torah-Pursuant Community

Torah shapes our daily and weekly life.

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Weekly Torah Rhythms

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Students practice:

  • Shabbat rest

  • compassion

  • holy speech

  • generosity

  • simplicity

  • honoring parents

  • justice

  • gratitude

  • humility

 

You are not alone on this path—your mentor and cohort walk with you.

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Scripture at the Center

 

You will dwell in:

  • Torah

  • Psalms

  • Prophets

  • Apostolic Writings in their Jewish world

 

Scripture is not rushed.

 

It is absorbed.

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Jewish Context Learning

 

Students grow in:

  • Hebrew words and concepts

  • ancient world understanding

  • Second Temple context

  • Jewish rhythm and thought

  • Torah framing of the Apostolic Writings

 

This brings clarity and depth.

An Academic Community

Lyell’s academic life is slow and serious.


Assignments are honest, thoughtful, and designed to shape the soul.

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Weekly Coursework Includes:

  • Scripture study

  • readings in Torah and Jewish context

  • academic articles or book chapters

  • writing reflections

  • discussion forums

  • cohort dialogue

  • language foundations

  • formation integration exercises

 

We do not overwhelm students with volume.


We guide them toward depth.

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Academic Expectations:

  • clear writing

  • thoughtful reflection

  • careful reading

  • honest citation

  • integrity with AI

  • steady engagement

  • intellectual humility

 

Your scholarship will grow out of your formation.

The Weekly Rhythm of a Lyell Student

A typical week looks like this:

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Sunday–Monday: Torah & Scripture Dwell Time

 

Slow engagement with the weekly Torah portion or assigned passages.

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Tuesday: Lectures and Readings

 

Short, clear lectures followed by deep reading.

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Wednesday: Writing & Reflection

 

You write from your own mind and soul—not from AI.

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Thursday: Mentoring & Cohort Dialogue

 

You meet with your mentor once a month, and your cohort weekly or bi-weekly.

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Friday: Academic Work & Preparation

 

Finishing assignments before Shabbat begins.

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Friday Sundown–Saturday Sundown: Shabbat

 

Rest. Prayer. Simplicity. Joy.

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Saturday Evening: Review & Light Academic Work (optional)

 

Gentle preparation for the week.

The Role of the Community

Lyell may be online, but you will not feel alone.

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Cohorts

 

Small groups of 6–10 students who learn, reflect, pray, and walk together.

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Faculty Presence

 

Faculty join live sessions, discussion boards, and occasional prayer meetings.

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Mentoring

 

Personal, warm, steady, and safe.

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Community Covenant

 

All students commit to:

  • gentleness

  • honesty

  • kindness

  • patience

  • healthy boundaries

  • humility

  • Torah-pursuant habits

  • unity of spirit

 

This protects the culture.

Strong Boundaries with AI

Lyell teaches students to use AI:

  • honestly

  • transparently

  • responsibly

  • as a tool

  • never as their voice

  • never for spiritual formation

  • never to replace human thinking

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This protects your integrity and your soul.

Spiritual Practices that Shape Student Life

Daily Practices:

  • prayer

  • Scripture reflection

  • silence

  • gratitude

  • holy speech

  • small Torah rhythms

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Weekly Practices:

  • Shabbat

  • cohort connection

  • assignments

  • mentoring

  • Torah practice

  • community accountability

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Seasonal Practices:

  • personal retreats

  • reflection exercises

  • mid-year spiritual check-in

  • seasonal rhythms from the Torah portions

Student Testamonies

(Future Quotes)

Who Thrives in this Community

Students who thrive at Lyell are:

  • hungry for truth

  • stable and teachable

  • ready for emotional honesty

  • eager to grow in Torah

  • spiritually intentional

  • academically serious

  • gentle and humble

  • open to mentoring

  • ready for breakthrough

  • committed to slow transformation

An Invitation to Join Us

If you desire a Seminary where:

  • Torah shapes your life

  • formation shapes your soul

  • scholarship shapes your mind

  • community shapes your rhythm

  • mentoring shapes your heart

  • and the Father shapes everything

then Lyell Seminary welcomes you.

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Explore Admissions Requirements
Begin Your Application
Learn About Formation at Lyell
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