Prawosławie w przestrzeni eurazjatyckiej. Współczesny Kazachstan .......... 95

ORTHODOXY IN THE EURASIAN SPACE: CONTEMPORARY KAZAKHSTAN

The chapter analyses the place and role of Orthodox Christianity in the socio-political space of contemporary Kazakhstan – a multiethnic and multi-religious country located on the border between Europe and Asia. The author examines the functioning of the Russian Orthodox Church in a secular state, its relations with the authorities, and its influence on the identity of the Russian-speaking part of Kazakh society. Particular attention is paid to the importance of Orthodoxy as an element of cultural heritage and a tool of soft power in the context of Kazakhstan’s relations with Russia. The chapter also addresses the coexistence of different religious traditions and the challenges of shaping a coherent religious policy in a post-Soviet state.