Why are there so many churches?

Is there one belief all Christians hold?

When did Christianity become a religion?

The Interfaith Leadership Council's Community Building Committee welcomes the public to discuss to these questions and ask more of their own in its continuing Community Building series where a house of worship invites representatives from another faith to promote better understanding between different religions.

"Ask a Christian" takes place Tuesday, Sept. 26, 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the Sikh Mata Tripta Ji Gurdwara Sahib, 40600 Schoolcraft Road, Plymouth. The program is open and free to the public. Participants are encouraged to register in advance here.

The Reverend Charles Packer of the Pine Hill Congregational Church in West Bloomfield will moderate the discussion facilitated by Dr. Anneliese Sinnott, O.P., recently retired professor of systematic theology and Dr. Stephen Butler Murray, president and professor of systematic theology and preaching, both from The Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit.

Packer said the intention of this series is to ask questions about one faith hosted in the house of worship in another to broaden understandings of other religions. Additionally, the participant may come away with a deeper understanding of their own faith.

"I can speak personally as a Protestant that in my religious upbringing, learning about other branches of Christianity was not a part of my formal spiritual education, but cooperation among the different branches of Christianity was a value taught in my home," Packer said. "What this very informal, participatory conversation hopes to deliver is answering questions on how different strains of Christianity give answers to topics such as salvation, Scripture and worship."

The program is part of a continuing series presented by IFLC's Community Building  Committee

The first, "Ask a Muslim," was held at Pine Hill Congregational Church.

Future programs in the series include a winter program: Ask a Sikh, tentatively scheduled at Temple Shir Shalom followed by Ask a Native American hosted by the Unity Church in Royal Oak this spring.

Stay tuned for more details.