1. Christianity in Mongolia
after socialism
BYAMBAJAV Dalaibuyan
Hokkaido University
The 1st SEFM International Workshop on
Social Change and Religious Transformation in East Asia
March 2-3, 2013 Hokkaido University
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2. The religious situation in Mongolia
 Systematic religious repression during socialism (1924-1989)
• Approximately 36000 people (of which nearly half were
monks) were arrested and executed during the 1930s.
• Monasteries were destroyed and properties were seized
• Anti-religious propaganda – religion as “an opiate of the
oppressed masses” --- high cost of religious belief, systematic
compulsory atheist education, and surveillance
 Consequences of forced secularization:
• Many citizens hid their religious beliefs and some people
practiced in private spaces
• Distortion of religious education and culture --- religious
beliefs, but no knowledge --- much confusion 2

3.  The revival of religion after 1990
• The new constitution of 1992 guaranteed freedom of religion
and belief. The 1990s witnessed a resurgence of religion.
• Buddhism was restored and its religious practices re-emerged
widely. Shamanism re-emerged, as well.
• Mongolia became new territory for Western missionaries. The
Bible was published in Mongolian in 1990, and Christian
missionaries began to establish their churches.
Source: the Mongolian Academy of Sciences 1989 and 1994
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4.  Officially registered religious organizations by 2010
• 254 Buddhist monasteries and organizations
• 198 Christian, 44 Islamic, 7 Shamanic, 5 Bahaist and 3 non-
classified religious organizations
Gandantegchilen monastery in UB Dashchoilin monastery in UB Amarbayasgalant monastery
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Islamic mosque in Western Mongolia
Shamanic rituals
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5.  Religious self-identification
Religion Number of people
(older than 15)
Percent
Buddhism 1 009 357 53.0
Christianity 41 117 2.1
Islam 57 702 3.0
Shamanism 55 174 2.9
Other 6 933 0.4
National Census of Mongolia 2010
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6. The developmentof Christianityin Mongolia
1990 1992 1995 1998 2000 2003 2006 2010 2013
• Missionaries
from South
Korea and other
countries
• First churches
• Welfare services
• The Bible
• Mongolian
pastors
• Theological
College
• A pro-Christian
TV channel
• Charity
organizations
• Mongolian
Evangelic
Alliance
• Language
schools
• Care centers
• Bible
translations
• Presbyterian
Theological
Center
• A pro-Christian
FM radio
station: Family
Radio
• Publishing
• Celebration of
the 20th
anniversary
• Bookstores
• Associations of
believers
• Christian elites
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7.  Christian population in Mongolia
Year Number of Christians Percent
1990 10-20 0,0
1992 1500-2000 0,1
1998 5000-7000 0,3
2008 40,000-60,000 2,1
Mongolian Evangelic Alliance: 100,000 Christians in Mongolia by
2012 and 10% of population by 2020
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8.  Evangelic Protestants
• Evangelic Alliance: 396 local
churches and gatherings, 47 NGOs
• Two theological colleges educate Mongolian pastors
• Cooperation with South Korean and other Christian churches
• Dependence on foreign funding, but increasing local capacity
• Different denominations and scope
UB Mission Church World Harvest Church Selenge Light and Salt Church
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9. “the only local, terrestrial TV station on the
Asian continent fully dedicated to advance Faith
& Freedom.”
 Protestant church`s strategies of conversion
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10.  The Church of Latter-Day Saints
• Began in 1993
• 30 local branches
• 160 missionaries (as English teachers), all male
• Humanitarian activities through the Deseret Charities
International
• No cooperation with other Christian groups
The Church of Latter-Day
Saints in UB
Branch church in Selenge 10

11.  Roman Catholics
• Began in 1992
• 100 missioners from 20 countries
• Bishop and 4 cathedrals, gatherings, care centers, schools,
• Vatican Representative Office, Caritas International
Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral in UB Bishop Padilla is performing the
zolgokh greeting with khadag
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12. DevelopmentFactors
 Missionary strategies
• Effective conversion strategies:
- different channels, easy access, targets, and attractive
• Legitimization strategies
- religious tolerance during the Chinggis`s empire
• Focus on key social problems and needs: family happiness,
poverty, alcoholism, English learning, and social activities
 Social factors
• Spiritual space left after the fall of state-socialism
• Post-socialist economy of risk --- Church as a source of social
capital and support
• A sense of community in the time of individualism
• Emergence of local role models 12

13.  Analysis of previous survey data
Gender * Religions Crosstabulation
n=2047
Buddhist Muslim Christian Other None
Gender Male Count 667 55 25 7 298
% within Religions 40.8% 70.5% 34.7% 46.7% 49.2%
Female Count 969 23 47 8 308
% within Religions 59.2% 29.5% 65.3% 53.3% 50.8%
Total Count 1636 78 72 15 606
% within Religions 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Asian Barometer Survey Mongolia 2005 & 2009
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14. Report
Religions
ACTUAL AGE
How many
years of formal
education you
have received?
Buddhist Mean 41.03 11.33
N 1638 1637
Std. Deviation 14.473 3.686
Muslim Mean 42.33 12.06
N 78 78
Std. Deviation 13.295 3.101
Christian Mean 35.32 12.22
N 72 72
Std. Deviation 12.742 2.903
Other Mean 30.47 13.13
N 15 15
Std. Deviation 9.531 2.200
None Mean 38.15 11.25
N 606 606
Std. Deviation 13.778 3.386
Total Mean 40.11 11.38
N 2409 2408
Std. Deviation 14.283 3.572
Asian Barometer Survey Mongolia 2005 & 2009
 Religions * Actual age * Education
crosstabulation
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15. Survey on the socialbackgroundand valuesof
MongolianChristians(Dec 2012-Feb2013)
 Part of Professor Sakurai`s comparative research on religious
culture in East Asia.
 Pioneering research on Christianity in contemporary
Mongolia
 Research methodology
• Self-administered questionnaires
• Pilot survey and revising wording (added questions)
• Ask pastors and fathers to select and ask church members to
participate in the survey (15-20 participants from 25 churches)
• Provide instructions for selecting participants within churches
(proportional to age and gender of church members)
 Mongolian partner Dr. Bolduukhai Oyun-Erdene (Ulaanbaatar
University)
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16. • Survey areas
441/388 = 87,9%
45-60 participants from provinces 16

17. • Churches in ger districts
• Churches in apartment
districts
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18. Preliminaryobservations
• Local community of Mongolian Christians
• Increasing participation of middle-class Mongolians
• Family bonds and influence
• Local economic capacity and the decline of foreign funding
• Information and research needs
• Self-reflection and capacity building
• Missionary works abroad (Tibet and North Korea)
Q: What path will the development of Christianity in Mongolia
follow?
Thank you for your attention
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