DOI: 10.25136/2409-8671.2018.2.18566

Abstract: In 2001, the greatest modern philosopher J. Habermas in his policy article "Faith and Knowledge" stated the fact of extraordinary resilience of religion that seemed to have been consigned to the "dustbin of history", and the beginning of the end of the secular world in which faith is actively recovering its positions. This trend has come to the fore more than ever in the post-Soviet countries: the religious expansion that began in the 1990s does not reduce its dynamics even in our time. In a multi-confessional and multi-cultural society, a typical example of which is the Republic of Kazakhstan, the development of the religious sphere outside the State control has a considerable conflict potential. The consideration of reasons for the reverse process (described by T. Lukman in "Invisible Religion")to religion transition from "private everyday life" to the public (and in fact – socio-political) field leads to the conclusion that it is necessary for the state to become not just an active participant in the system of social relations between religious denominations developing "rules of the game" but also to act as their direct actor. The author examines the model of interreligious harmony implemented in Kazakhstan (considered to be one of the most effective in the world) as a successful example of such interaction. Taking the relations between state structures and religious communities in the Republic of Kazakhstan as a subject of the article, the author aims to demonstrate the importance of the confessional factor in the internal political processes, as well as to evaluate their condition, nature and development trends.  The use of the tools characteristic of the comparative method, as well as an empirical and theoretical analysis lead to the conclusion about the effectiveness of the secular model of interaction between State and religion, as well as to suggest directions for further development.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0684.2017.6.23257

Abstract: Rapid modernization of Kazakhstan’s society at the brink of the XX – XXI centuries became the cause for the unique “religious renaissance”. However, the spiritual revival highlighted the issues, which have never been faced before. The article examines the peculiarities of religious revival in the Republic of Kazakhstan over the period of 1990’s – 2000’s. An attempt is made to analyze the reasons of large-scale desecularization, unprecedented growth of the supporters of one or another confessions (including the new religious movements), as well as identify the challenges of statehood in this regards. Attention is also given to the question of impact of the government executive authorities upon confessions in the context of the declared separation from of church from the state, as well as the implemented measures by the authorities pertaining to the establishment of the system of state-confessional relations under the conditions of dynamic expansion of religiosity of population and broad polycultural field.

DOI: 10.25136/1339-3057.2017.3.23464

Abstract:   The rapid modernization of Kazakhstani society at the turn of the XX and XXI centuries became the cause for the unique “religious renaissance”. However, the spiritual resurgence emphasized the issues that Kazakhstan had not faced before. The article examines the peculiarities of the resurgence of religiosity in the Republic of Kazakhstan during the period of 1990-2000’s , attempts to analyze the reasons of extensive desecularization, unprecedented increase in the amount of followers of one or another confessions (including the new religious movements), as well as identify the challenges of statehood in this regard. The use of comparative method alongside the empirical and theoretical analysis, allows clarifying relatively to the phenomenon of high dynamic of the resurgence of religiosity, considering such incidents as the civic religiosity and construction of religiosity. The attention is also given to the problem of impact of the competent government authorities upon the confessions in the context of the declared separation of church and state, as well as measures taken by the government to establish the system of state-confessional relations that is able to counter the current challenges, under the circumstances of growing religiosity of population and broad polycultural field.