Church life as the life of almost every religious organization is organized around a community of believers and their leaders - media functionality sacred worship.The last - the priests, the priests and so forth. - Are often the name of pastors.Accordingly, the flock - a broad strata of the laity.This analogy is very old and because of its obviousness is clear to everyone.
Semantics allegory shepherd and flock
shepherd herding sheep, guarding, leads them to water and meadows, abundant food.Caring pastor - well-being and safety of the flock entrusted.Also, religious leaders called to guard his flock from schisms, embarrassment dissent and heresy, in time to submit the spiritual water and food and all kinds of care for the welfare of the flock.
history image
prospects of relations "the shepherd and the flock" in a religious context is rooted in hoary antiquity.It is hardly possible today to establish where and when was the first time eating this metaphor.It is important to note that the original pastor called himself a god.For example, in the psalms attributed to David, Yahweh called a shepherd grazing his admirer in green pastures (Ps. 22).At the same time kriophoros, ie carrying the ram, called Hermes - messenger of the gods pagan Greek pantheon.In this role Hermes portrayed young men carrying the armpit or on the shoulders of a small lamb.Perhaps not without the influence of the religious-cultural type appears with the beginning of a new era of the image of Jesus Christ as the good shepherd, considered himself for the sheep.The sacred texts of Christians, puts into the mouth of Jesus' words: "I am the good shepherd."
Perhaps this image was so popular because it was clear to the general peasant population, often illiterate.The fact that the East is ahead of the shepherd, and the flock is followed, led by his voice or melody.Also believing flock - a herd of obedient sheep who follow the voice of their leader-pastor-savior.
negative aspects of symbolism
Over time, the pastoral role of the deities passed from hand to the people.Community leaders turned to the shepherds of the flock, which created distance between people.This situation is not reflected soberly on ethics and generally the whole way of religious life.This can be illustrated by a telling example of Christianity.
Initially, all Christians were considered disciples of Christ and, therefore, were part of his flock.However, fairly quickly (in the New Testament times) there is a split between leaders and communities.First arrogate to themselves the sovereign right of a priest to teach and that eliminates the royal priesthood of the ecclesial community to the level of the profane.Parishioners of the church is no longer the people of priests and a lay - worldly, profane people.Increases the distance led to the doctrinal teachings of the consolidation of the two churches - Learn consisting of uninitiated laymen and uchaschey consisting of the carrier so-called apostolic succession.In one form or another this division into clergy and the world is present in nearly all modern Christian denominations.Contrary to the preaching of Jesus and the early church standards, the flock will lose its ability to stand in the celebration of the Eucharist, to preach and perform other, purely "priestly" duties.At present, clergy and laity, even partake separately.
development of the Church and clericalism led to the fact that the ministry has become a profession, and in some countries in some periods of the history of all separate.Itself an allegory of the shepherd, transferred from God to man, contributes to this understanding: psychologically pastor dominates the flock, and therefore has the right to judge, to lead, to dominate, to cut (!), To punish and so on. D. So often in the history of Christian congregations - is nota holy nation, a silent herd, led by would-be pastors for slaughter.Abuse of these foresaw even Jesus himself, comparing himself as the true good shepherd, with mercenaries who do not care for the flock, and the first throw of his danger, and thieves who plunder the flock, pretending to be pastors.
Conclusion
Clericalism and spiritual despotism - the inevitable consequence of the division of people in a hierarchical manner in a religious context, where some have power over others by virtue of the simple ordination and not because of merit.Given that the parallel process of the separation of church people to the spiritual elite of pastors and flock of faceless flock, the latter lost the right to choose, even pastors, we can talk about the negative impact of this image on the spiritual culture of Western civilization.Christian congregation (this is especially true for the realities of modern Russian Orthodox Church) - a bunch of powerless people for whom there is only one law - the so-called obedience (man in a cassock).
Unfortunately, the more time passes, the more followers of Christ depart from the ideals proclaimed his teacher.
