ABSTRACT

Members of religious groups in the United States engage in boundary work to maintain distinct identities, but we know little about how inclusive Christians navigate the exclusionary aspects of boundary work. Drawing on one year of participant observation at a liberal congregation and twenty-six interviews, I find that congregants develop three strategies for boundary work that reflect their inclusive identity. I argue that this boundary work reflects the congregation’s high social class, thus reinforcing the underlying social boundary of class. This research extends our understanding of boundary work in congregations and further elucidates how churches may contribute to inequality.

摘要

美国宗教团体的成员从事边界工作以保持独特的身份，但我们对包容性基督徒如何应对边界工作的排斥方面知之甚少。根据对自由派会众一年的参与观察和 26 次采访，我发现会众制定了三种反映他们包容性身份的边界工作策略。我认为这种边界工作反映了会众的高社会阶层，从而加强了阶级的潜在社会边界。这项研究扩展了我们对会众边界工作的理解，并进一步阐明了教会如何可能导致不平等。