RELATIONS BETWEEN THE STATE AND RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN: CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS

This article attempts to comprehensively consider the social and legal nature of the relationship between the state and religious associations in the state, to determine their main constitutional ties, and to reveal the concept and content of the legal status of the religious associations. In this article, based on historical analysis, generalization, modeling, the study of the normative documents, regulating the public relations in this area, the development of the current state of the relations between the state and religious associations. Social science research in the religious studies area could be described as lacking many serious studies, regarding religious issues and relations between the state and religion. One explanation is inattention to the religious factors in public life for a long period of time. This inattention was displayed in political, social and judicial areas. Most studies twenty years ago were devoted to the explanations of the negative features of the religion or the disappearance of religion and state’s help. Today the spectrum of opinion on church-state relations is wider. The most popular point of view advocates the separation of state and church. The general opinion is that the state must be secular. The clericalization of the state and social life is considered as danger to the existing political and legal system. At the same time, some believe that religion must be under strict state control (so called, state-controlled religion). In this approach, state interests such as national security always dominate over the interests of religious organizations and believers.