A program that examines the different cultures represented in Macomb County and the religions that drive them returns in February with the first section, African Americans and the Black Church.

Other sessions will follow on Jews and Judaism; Islam and Muslims; Hispanics and Roman Catholicism; and Chaldeans and the Chaldean Catholic Church.

Prompted by changing demographics in Macomb County, the Interfaith Center for Racial Justice launched its Listen, Learn and Live program in 2007 to highlight the diverse cultures that now make up a significant portion of the county.

The goal is better understanding of the diversity in the county, and, initially, progress toward that goal appeared steady, said the Rev. Michail Curro, executive director of the Interfaith Center.

But recent world events, including the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight by a Muslim man, have hindered progress, Curro conceded.

"It's like we've taken a great step backward," he said.

Each section, called "modules," consists of five weekly sessions of about 2-1/2 hours each. During each session, traditions, beliefs and other aspects of the different cultures are examined. Each module is highlighted by a visit to a worship service at a church, mosque or synagogue.

"If you take the religion out of most of these cultures, you kind of miss the culture," Curro said.

Since the program's inception, the study of Islam and Muslims has proven the most popular, so much so that organizers have scheduled two separate modules on Islam in April.

Imam Steve Elturk, of the Islamic Organization of North America in Warren, tapped recent headlines — the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines jet — to underscore what can be a lack of understanding of different cultures. Elturk participates in the Interfaith Center's Listen, Learn and Live program.

The imam said Muslim-Americans are equally as upset as other Americans at such acts, but acknowledged they don't always express their outrage loudly enough.

"The outrage is there, without a doubt," Elturk said. "Within the family, within the community, it's talked about … (but) perhaps not enough to make the population comfortable."

On the other hand, Elturk continued, law-abiding Muslims shouldn't feel they must apologize for their faith every time an extremist commits a deplorable act.

"They may use the religion as a slogan … (but) in reality, they have nothing to do with our faith," he said.

The starting dates and locations for the Listen, Learn and Live modules for 2010 are:

African Americans and the Black Church, Feb. 2, St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Parish, St. Clair Shores;

Jews and Judaism, March 2, St. Michael Catholic Church, Sterling Heights;

Islam and Muslims, April 14, Christ Lutheran Church, Sterling Heights;

Islam and Muslims, April 15, Mount Clemens Public Library;

Hispanics and Roman Catholicism, May 2, St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church, Shelby Township;

Chaldeans and the Chaldean Catholic Church, June 1, St. Mark Catholic Church, Warren.

The cost for each Listen, Learn and Live module is $30 or $125 for all five modules. For reservations or information, call (586) 463-3675 or send an e-mail to curroicrj@sbcglobal.net.