Transformation Happens at the Margins: Shaping Beatitudinal Character of Volunteers By Embracing Excluded, Marginalized, Inconvenient Others at Drop-In Centres

Abstract

Jesus said "you cannot serve two masters." Yet, in the Western, Middle-Class Church (marked by syncretism) the world's ways (which exclude "inconvenient others") conflict with Jesus' ways (of embracing them). Consequentially, many Christians do not demonstrate Beatitudinal Character, the attributes of Matthew 5:3-10. Using Action Research, 11 drop in centre volunteers, over 3 sites, were interviewed and surveyed. Autoethnographic analysis revealed that engaging those inconvenient to us could help in overcoming obstacles of comfort, self-reflection and incongruent orthodoxy, orthokardia and orthopraxy; in this way a disciple's character can be aligned with Christ's, helping the Church to regain an authentic mission.