We live in a world filled with hostility, rejection, and even hatred. Global events clearly demonstrate and confirm this assertion. Hotspots, military clashes, interethnic conflicts, and intercultural enmity fill our daily news, regardless of whether they are international or national. 

It is difficult to accurately count the exact number of wars occurring in the world each year, as different sources use different criteria to define “war.” However, research indicates that there is an increase in armed conflicts worldwide, and in recent years, their number has reached a peak not seen since 1946. In 2024, according to Meduza, there were 61 interstate conflicts, the highest number since World War II. Research from the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK) shows that there were 22 wars in 2022, and 56 in 2023.  

The consequences of military conflicts are immense. They are comparable to natural disasters and cataclysms. Economic decline, population reduction, shifts in territorial boundaries, and restructuring of social, political, and economic frameworks are all part of the fallout. 

Among the most brutal wars in human history have been conflicts related to religious reasons. Religious conflicts are forms of confrontation between groups of people stemming from differences in their religious beliefs, practices, stereotypes of the religious other, or interpretations of religious teachings and religious claims to certain sites and territories. Religious conflict can manifest in various forms, from ideological opposition to violence and wars. 

Religion, despite its unifying and comforting functions, often becomes a source of discord and conflict due to various interpretations, dogmas, fanaticism, and the use of religious beliefs for political purposes. 

Here are several factors explaining why religion can lead to discord:

• Different interpretations and doctrines: Both within and between religions, there often exist various branches and movements that can interpret religious texts and teachings differently. These differences can lead to conflict and hostility between followers of different movements. 

• Fanaticism and intolerance: Religious fanaticism, that is, where a person blindly believes in their religion and is intolerant toward others, can lead to discrimination, violence, and even war. 

• Use of religion for political purposes: Religion can be used by political leaders to mobilize the population, consolidate power, and achieve political goals. This can lead to conflicts with other states as well as internal conflicts and civil wars. 

• Cultural and historical differences: Different religions and their followers may have different cultural and historical roots, leading to misunderstandings, prejudices, and conflicts. 

• Existential questions and the search for meaning: Religion often offers answers to existential questions and helps people find meaning in life. However, different religions provide different answers, which can lead to clashes of worldviews. 

• Social isolation and discrimination against religious minorities: Religious minorities may face social isolation and discrimination from the majority, leading to conflicts and tension within society. 

• Connection to violence and extremism: In some cases, certain individuals and groups develop religious ideologies that directly encourage and/or sacralize violence and extremism, where religious beliefs are used to justify terrorism and other forms of violence. 

While the above reality is too often the norm in too many cultures and countries, we must also understand and remember that, at its best, religion can actually play a positive role by fostering unity among people, forming moral values, and providing support and comfort—across the deepest of difference—according to the best of their respective traditions (while not watering down any of them). If religion is not to become a source of discord, it is essential to encourage multifaith dialogue, and mutual respect for each other’s dignity, and therefore, the different beliefs, and critical thinking, that result.  

It is vital to be equipped to think and act in such a manner. After all, a proper attitude towards the questions and answers raised by a given religion is crucial. Religious and lay leaders must strive for an approach that promotes creation and dialogue instead of destruction and conflict.   

CCRL as the Key to Conflict Prevention and Social Cohesion 

Despite the fact that most followers of any given religion understand and feel the need for respectful engagement across lines of religious difference, and even those distant from religion recognize the need for an approach that fosters interfaith dialogue, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive set of constructive attitudes and methodologies in the multifaith context. In my experience,  the most vivid and comprehensive such approach is expressed in the practice of Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (CCRL). 

CCRL systematizes and encompasses the knowledge, skills, approaches, and practices of effective intercultural and interreligious interaction, based on mutual respect and understanding. It entails the ability to understand, value, and interact effectively with people belonging to different religious and cultural traditions. This includes not only knowledge about various religions but also skills for respectful and effective communication with representatives and practitioners of these religions. 

CCRL involves understanding and respecting the differences between cultures as well as the ability to adapt one’s behavior and communication to different cultural contexts. Going beyond a merely academic or theoretical understanding of basic beliefs, practices, texts, and histories of various religions, CCRL also demands real-world engagement of the religious “other,” avoiding prejudices and stereotypes. 

Thus, CCRL is an important set of practical competencies and skills in today’s world, where people of different religious beliefs live and work together. It promotes better understanding, cooperation, and respect between people of different faiths. 

A Personal Example from Kazakhstan  

When I first met Imam Nazirhan from Shymkent, as a firmly convinced Reformed pastor of the Evangelical Church, I didn’t know how to begin our relationship, what to say to the Imam, or how to act to build our interfaith relationship. At the same time, it turned out that both Imam Nazirhan and I had a strong desire to develop our relationship to build a respectful consensus despite our different religious beliefs. 

Why? We were both citizens of the same country, from the same region. We both wanted to serve our fellow citizens, because of our different faiths. 

A key moment in building the relationship between the Imam and me was the understanding of covenantal pluralism, which, in essence, is the ultimate end-goal of CCRL. 

Covenantal pluralism is a philosophy that promotes constructive interaction and mutual respect among different societal groups, emphasizing legal equality and a culture of mutual commitments. It goes beyond mere tolerance, advocating for active engagement and shared responsibility in overcoming disagreements, rather than simply coexisting in an indifferent and disengaged manner. Covenantal pluralism transcends simple tolerance or religious coexistence regarding religious differences. It encourages constructive interaction and cooperation among different groups while recognizing the value of diverse perspectives. 

Guided by the principles of covenantal pluralism, our relationship developed. I attended an Iftar (in Islam, the meal at the end of each day of fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadan) at the Imam’s mosque, and Imam Nazirhan visited one of the Sunday services at the church where I minister. Our wives met and began communicating with each other. Imam Nazirhan and I traveled together extensively. We openly asked each other questions about our religious practices, which is a direct component of CCRL. I explained to the Imam why Reformed Calvinistic practice supports the idea of covenantal pluralism, while the Imam explained how the Quran teaches its followers to treat representatives of other religious practices. We held a joint multifaith event for pastors and imams in the city of Almaty. 

Consequently, our relationship strengthened and evolved into a genuine friendship. In the near future, we plan to organize another event for imams and pastors in the city of Shymkent, as well as a joint event between our communities. 

I would like to highlight three aspects of our relationship that are directly related to CCRL: 

1. Our friendly relationship and understanding of covenantal pluralism changed the essence of our attitudes toward representatives of another religious tradition, particularly my attitude toward Muslims and the Imam’s attitude toward Christians.
2. We began to learn and understand the doctrinal foundations of our religious traditions better and more deeply. For example, we discussed the Trinity or the nature of Jesus Christ, and we discussed the prophetic activity of Muhammad, precisely those issues that most often become the cause of misunderstanding and further division between Christians and Muslims. Although we remained within our theological convictions, we came to know each other’s position more deeply.
3. Our attitudes toward each other and our understanding of our religious traditions began to influence our behavior as well as the subsequent interactions of our religious communities. Understanding and knowing your neighbor’s religious practices helps you accept and trust them. That’s what happens in our relationship. 

It is evident that CCRL has become the cornerstone of our relationship. Without ignoring or watering down our religious differences, we recognized the value of our friendship, and the example it sets within our shared Kazakh society. Our study and practice of CCRL has produced important and useful tools that strengthen our bond. 

We see that if there were more examples of relationships like ours in our context, it would benefit not only individual religious communities but society as a whole. We observe that the implementation and application of CCRL would yield positive results, ultimately expressed in greater security and social flourishing in Kazakhstan. At both interpersonal and more broadly societal levels, CCRL builds reservoirs of trust, solidarity, habits and norms of communication, and, ultimately, resilience to malicious forces and crises.  

Conclusion 

Of course, in Kazakhstan today, the issue of military conflicts does not stand out sharply. However, a certain disunity can be observed within society, as well as some interreligious animosity in the local context. While not trying to overstate, it must be acknowledged that under certain circumstances, such disunity and animosity could take the form of a serious national conflict. 

This is precisely why I strongly believe it is essential to invest in CCRL across all segments of Kazakh society, from school benches to the offices of officials. And, of course, the example set by leaders of religious communities will become a role model for followers of various religions, which in turn will have a positive impact on the entire society and the state. It will positively influence not only the religious climate in the country but also the economic, political, and social life in Kazakhstan. 

*******

About the Author

Rev. Arman Arenbayev is a pastor and LYNC’s representative in Kazakhstan. He champions religious freedom and multi-faith collaboration, serving as senior pastor, church union chair, and multi-faith retreat trainer.