The Pastor as Philosopher

Philosophy: Philosophy is the discipline concerned with the questions of how one should live (ethics); what sorts of things exist and what are their essential natures (metaphysics); what counts as genuine knowledge (epistemology); and what are the correct principles of reasoning (logic).1

I've been thinking a lot about the pastor's role in society. I guess that a lot of people have a lot of different ideas about what a pastor's job is. For some he's an entertainer delivering fiery speeches that tickle the listener's ears. To someone else he's a revolutionary on the front lines of the culture wars. To others he's a friend that you can count on in a time of need. Someone else might say he's a myopic zealot. And, to others he's completely irrelevant. He's a leader and a servant... what the heck is he?

I began to think about what other role throughout history is closest to the job of the modern pastor. I think the wikipedia definition of a philosopher above is pretty close. He's a teacher who is devoted to study and throughtful meditation. True, it's a very narrow field of philosophy that the pastor works in. He's mainly concerned with interpreting meaning through the assumption that there is a God and His Word (the Bible) is true. The modern pastor is devoted to lifelong learning. His personal library is full of books that interpret and expand on the holy scriptures. He spends a good part of his time in an office reading and contemplating what he has read. He takes the scriptures and gives them a context that is relevant to modern living. He tries to answer the ethical questions. He tries to explain the reality of nature and the world. He tries to provide a point a reference on what is truth. And he tries to explain these things in a manner that logically follows from the Biblical text.

At least he should be.

Some pastors would rather engage in "fellowship" on a golf course than dig for answers to the tough questions. Some pastors would rather download their sermons than search the Bible for meaning that is particularly relevant to their congregation. Some pastors develop a formula for their sermons that allows them to assemble a message in a hour or two but doesn't allow for any real reflection on the subject before it is presented.

The modern pastor is a seemingly contradictory mix of monk and celebrity. There a lot of roles the pastor has to play in the local church. A lot of his "ministry" type jobs are things that can (maybe should) be done by the congregation. I'm having hard time coming up with any role that is more important for him than the role of philosopher. In a time when people are hungry for meaning, what could be more relevant? If he doesn't take that role seriously then who in the church can fill in the gap?

(1) Wikipedia