Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders anticipate that a set of DVDs delving into the history and impact of world religions and contemporary cultures will build trust and understanding between faith communities.

Scheduled for release later this month at the church's General Conference Session, the four-DVD set outlines the tenets of the world's major religions and thought groups: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Postmodernism.

The DVD set "Understanding World Religions and Contemporary Cultures" was produced by the church's Office of Adventist Mission with a Christian and, specifically, Adventist audience in mind. However, the series is relevant across cultures and religions, producers said.

"The series aims to help equip Christians to better communicate and build bridges with friends and neighbors of other faiths," said Gary Krause, Adventist Mission director.

The series is hosted by Ganoune Diop, director of the church's Adventist Mission Study Centers. For each faith group, topics include history, sphere of influence, values and beliefs, as well as areas of commonality anchored in biblical principles.

The series was filmed by Adventist Mission Video Producer Dan Weber on location in countries ranging from Egypt to Thailand.

"If you really understand a religion, then you know where a person is coming from and what they're searching for," Weber said. "Once you know that, you can identify common denominators you might share to help you relate to them better."

While he noted that outreach is the church's "ultimate" goal, Weber said rather than evangelism, the focus of the series is on encouraging inter-faith relationships defined by mutual respect that surmounts judgmental or combative tendencies.

"The purpose of this isn't to think, 'Oh, there's a Hindu, I need to go convert them,'" Weber said. "If all you do is build a friendship, the world is a better place."

The DVD series will be available for US$20 at the Adventist Mission booth at Session beginning June 23. After Session, DVD sets will be available for US$40 online at whattheybelieve.org.