Abstract:
The main objective of this study was to explore the connections between orientations (Quest,
Intrinsic, and Extrinsic) and peoples' attitudes towards a secular state among members of the
Evangelical Lutheran Churches in the northern regions of Kazakhstan. To achieve this, established
scales were used to assess participants' perspectives on secularism and their religious orientations.
The article analyses the opinion on the separation of church and state using measures of tendency.
There were also calculated Pearson correlation coefficients to understand how religious beliefs
interacted with views on governance. The findings indicated that there was an inclination towards
secularism among the participants. While some respondents valued the guidance provided by the
Church in decisions, others preferred a separation between religious institutions and legislative
affairs. However, when examining orientations, none showed a significant influence on attitudes
towards a secular state. This highlights the relationship between religious beliefs and societal views
on governance. Overall, this study emphasises that while religious orientation provides insights into
beliefs, it does not solely determine attitudes towards secularism. It underscores that belief systems
are multifaceted and interact intricately with governance perspectives. Future research should focus
on uncovering factors that influence these perspectives within and beyond the Evangelical Lutheran
Church.
