Abstract:
This research aims to answer the following question: To what extent can diakonia dialogue with the theme of conversion, in biblical parameters and in the history of the church, in order to identify gaps and possibilities with a view to conversion in the multiple possibilities in which it is possible, through research-action? To answer this question, it was necessary to structure the research into three parts. The first of them deals with the concepts necessary for a better understanding of the topic and a basis for the next parts. Thus, we talk about diakonia and conversion in the Bible, in the history of the church, in the history of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil and in socio-theological aspects. The second part addresses critical reflection on the diaconal methodology and its contents, as well as the research-action methodology, then evaluating the possibilities of a research-action proposal in diakonia to study the theme of conversion in the practice of a group of community diakonia. The third part addresses the analysis of research-action in diakonia, carried out in a diakonia group, whose data will be omitted and protected, in accordance with agreement between the researcher and the Research Ethics Committee of Faculdades EST. In this part, many themes emerge that contribute to the reflections already made in theory previously. Various materials are used as references, such as books, minutes, articles from online portals, among others. The methodology used for research-action was based on references such as Helena Singer, Michel Thiollent, David Tripp, Hugues Diones. For the conceptualization and joint reflection on diaconal methodology and research-action, authors such as Hildegart Hertel, Márcia Paixão, Gisela Beulke, Luís Stephanou, Angela Lenke, Kjell Nordstokke are used. To analyze the data extracted in diakonia research-action, the methodology of Bodgan and Biklen is used, which consists of surveying themes, dialoguing with other authors and subsequent reference to the meanings given by the questionnaire responses and analysis of the field diary made by the researcher. In this way, as the qualitative research method prioritizes, meanings emerge from the context and responses, based on the experience of the entire research-action extracted by the researcher. Therefore, it is possible to understand to what extent diakonia can dialogue with the theme of conversion, in biblical parameters and in the history of the church, in order to identify gaps and possibilities with a view to conversion in the multiple possibilities in which it is possible through research -action.