The Pastor and The Master

 based on Theology After Lacan page 219

Clergy are responsible for the education of the church, but they do not necessarily fall into the university discourse, rather they go in the guise of pastor though thoroughly exhausting the master discourse.  If ever there were the possibility for a shepherd of a flock, and their sheep do follow quite neatly, the shepherd usually ends up in a master/slave relationship with the parishioners. I am not talking about literal slavery, but that each word that flows from the master's mouth is a discursive device from which the laity hang. One, since the protestant reformation, can be relatively unbound from the priest's binding and make a shot at realizing some from of individualism (as in calling or vocation, see Max Weber). Now we often find that the church struggles once again against a self-oriented system of discourse, based on the postmod movement or "turn", as Lyotard put it. So as to rally the troops, as disdain for "organized religion" rears its head for so many, the churchgoer is either part of a splinter group (of which there seem to be too many) or a multi-"campus" mega-church.  Mainstream Christianity has long been on its demise.  So there is no wonder that Christians are looked at negatively; either as sheep or as rabble rousers in their own faith tradition, otherwise called religious abusers. Now back to the master/slave thing, it is up to the master to allow for there to be "scrutiny and evaluation" of the church and its leaders. The master signifier who develops the master discourse devolves into a simple shmuck who knows a lot, but garners no respect. So it behooves me not to feel sorry for the pastor, who takes the heat when issues come-up internally or external to the church. 

Lyrics by the Police, alternative rock band:

I have only come here seeking knowledgeThings they would not teach me of in college. . . 

these artists were no one's dummies, they saw the writing on the wall!

Later lyrics:

Mephistopheles is not your nameI know what you're up to just the same . . . 

Devil and the deep blue sea behind meVanish in the air you'll never find meI will turn your face to alabasterWhen you'll find your servant is your master

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