Religious and Cultural Peculiarities of Presbyterian Communities in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian Countries

Elmira Sultanbayeva, Nurzat Mukan, Karlygash Borbassova, Kulshat Smagulova

Pharos Journal of Theology, 2026

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DOI 10.46222/pharosjot.107.217
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was a comprehensive understanding of the religious, cultural, and social specifics of Presbyterian communities in post-Soviet Central Asia, mainly in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study aimed at identifying sustainability factors, forms of social integration, and adaptation strategies for small Protestant groups under regulatory constraints and cultural pressure. The methodological framework included a historical analysis of the formation of Presbyterian communities from 1861 to 2024, a comparative analysis of dogmatic sources and real practice, content analysis of materials from the Internet resources of Presbyterian churches, in addition to a documentary review of official reports of the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study included cases of four specific parishes – in Almaty, Shymkent, Karaganda, and Taraz. As a result of the study, stability in the number of registered communities was recorded (an average of 10-13 in the country in 2020-2024) and a gradual increase in the number of participants, especially due to the rejuvenation of the composition, which was reflected in an increase in the proportion of young people under 35 who actively participate in worship services, social initiatives, and educational programmes. In most parishes, services were held in Kazakh and Russian, and in the diaspora groups – also in Korean. Presbyterian churches demonstrated the active development of social work, covering on average three areas: humanitarian assistance, educational initiatives, and family support. These types of ministry became an alternative to open missionary activity, which was limited by law. An important result was the identification of a model of “quiet presence”: churches minimised religious symbols, adjusted statutory documents, and re registered their legal form to preserve the possibility of legal functioning. Typical legal barriers were specified (for example, requirements for the number of founders and a ban on public preaching), and the forms of adaptation to them were described. The obtained results can be practically used by religious scholars, public policy specialists, theologians, and representatives of religious organisations operating under regulatory control.