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News Release
Contact: Tom Parisi, NIU Office of Public Affairs
(815) 753-3635
December 2, 2003
New online course delves into Catholic Church history
DeKalb, Ill. — NIU is offering a new online course focusing on the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Haliczer will lead the course, which begins Jan. 31. The author of six books, Haliczer is a renowned expert on Catholic Church history and is considered one of the world's leading authorities on the Spanish Inquisition.
The course will explore the evolution of the Roman Catholic Church from the period of the Council of Trent (1545-1563) to the present. The course is geared toward traditional students, working adults, seniors or anyone interested in the topic.
"Although the course will discuss the beginnings of Christianity, and how it evolved within the religious framework of the ancient world, it is not really about religion," Haliczer said. "Instead, the class deals fundamentally with the Roman Catholic Church as an institution."
Haliczer notes that the church has undergone numerous crises throughout its history. Both the Reformation and the French Revolution, he said, nearly doomed the church to extinction.
"More than anything, this course is timely because the Catholic Church again is experiencing a turbulent time in its history," Haliczer said. "The Reformation and French Revolution both presented very serious crises, but I would say this current period is even more serious."
Modern day crises include debates over church authority, reproductive rights, the role of women, the role of the laity and the disciplining of priests involved in sexual scandals. "I try to put these critical issues into historical perspective," Haliczer said. "The course is really an examination of the church's institutional and political history."
Haliczer has taught the history of the Catholic Church many times but never before in cyberspace. The password-protected course Web site will integrate text with audio, photos and interactive graphics. Graphics, Web design and production and instructional design were provided by eLearning Services, a division of NIU Outreach.
Haliczer also plans to incorporate several computer games that he has designed. One game, for instance, simulates a trial before the Inquisition; another takes students through the process of becoming a saint.
Students will meet online on Saturday mornings, with four traditional classroom meetings during the semester. Past online courses offered by NIU have attracted an eclectic mix of learners from on and off campus, including teachers, homemakers and business executives.
The External Programming Office of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is sponsoring the church history course. Registration for credit or non-credit is open now through Jan. 26. For more information, visit the course Web site at www.niu.edu/clasep/profdev/HIST320.htm or call (815) 753-5200.
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