Religious Freedom Policy in Kazakhstan: the Case of the Institutional Development of the Catholic Church
DOI:
10.48010/gtfqpk73Keywords
religious freedom, secularism, Kazakhstan, Catholic Church, institutional development, interfaith harmony, religious situation.
Abstract
This article examines the policy of religious freedom in Kazakhstan through the example of the institutional development of the Catholic Church. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of state religious policy by analyzing the dynamics of Catholicism’s development in Kazakhstan. The research interprets Kazakhstan’s religious policy through the lens of the concept of “inclusive secularism,” which implies the preservation of secular state principles while simultaneously providing legal opportunities for various religious confessions, supporting their social engagement, and strengthening interfaith harmony. Kazakhstan’s experience demonstrates a model of secularism that, rather than adhering to a strictly restrictive approach, recognizes religious diversity as a factor of social stability. The study employs historical, institutional, and legal methods of analysis. The primary scientific novelty of the research lies in examining religious freedom not merely as an abstract legal category, but as a multidimensional phenomenon reflected in the legal, organizational, social, and international development of a specific religious institution. In this regard, the Catholic Church is considered an important indicator for evaluating the effectiveness and characteristics of Kazakhstan’s religious policy. The findings confirm that Kazakhstan’s religious freedom policy is being successfully implemented at the institutional level. The legal recognition of the Catholic Church, the stability of its organizational structure, the development of its social functions, and its international connections demonstrate the state’s balanced and pragmatic approach toward religious diversity. This confirms the effectiveness of Kazakhstan’s model aimed at maintaining interfaith harmony and social stability.
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References
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