An Overview of Christianity and the Mongolian Language

Christianity in Mongolia dates back to the 7th and 8th centuries, when the Nestorian Church (an Eastern Christian tradition) spread along the Silk Road, reaching various Turkic and Mongol tribes in Central Asia. By the 13th century, during the Mongol Empire, Christianity was practiced by some members of the Mongol royal family and nobility, especially due to alliances with Christian powers and interactions with Christian merchants and diplomats. However, Christianity did not gain a strong hold among the broader population, who primarily practiced traditional Mongolian religions, such as Tengrism, and later Tibetan Buddhism.

After centuries of limited Christian influence, Christianity reemerged in Mongolia following the country’s shift to democracy in 1990, which allowed greater religious freedom. Missionaries from various denominations introduced modern translations of the Bible into Mongolian and supported the establishment of Mongolian Christian churches. Today, while still a minority, Christianity is growing among Mongolians, with churches and Christian resources available in the Mongolian language. The Mongolian Bible and other Christian literature continue to play an important role in reaching new converts and supporting the small but active Christian community in Mongolia.