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.

Abstract: This article deals with the problems of establishment and evolution of civil society at the present stage. The author gives definitions to the religious organizations and civil society, indicates the role and place of confessions in its structure, as well as underlines the problems in building the effective system of state-confessional relations. The author leans on the message about the need for developing and strengthening the dialogue between the state and religious organizations, which are an integral part of civil society. The article touches upon the question of legal grounds of the state-confessional relations, as well as substantiates the necessity of bringing to the legal field of the various confessions, religious unions and formations. The place and role of the religious organizations as social institutions in the process of establishment of civil society are analyzed. In this context, the author considers its essence alongside peculiarities of interaction between the religious organizations of social institutions in modern conditions. The relevance of the topic at hand is justified by the current changes taking place in the community and social life in the post-Soviet space, establishment and development of civil society, as well as the need for determining the place of religious organizations in its structure.

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.