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Theo said:

I am wondering if there is a denominational divide where the more sacramentally-oriented a church is (and thus the view might be that the chief role of a minister is to offer the sacraments), the greater the possibility might be that ministers might not feel that they have to know the people. If one's chief role is to offer the sacraments, does one have to know the worshippers in order to do that? So I begin to think that the likelihood of this view is greater in Roman Catholic churches and that in Anglican churches it would be more likely in less evangelical churches. Conversely, I would expect the opposite view (that you and I hold) to be more common in Reformed and other evangelical churches.

Yet, the archetypal parish priest is indeed very close to his flock. As one moves up the heirarchical ladder, perhaps, the bishops and archbishops become less and less close to the people.

I think it may have more to do with size than anything else. The larger a particular church gets, the harder it becomes for the pastor to know all of his flock. This also relates to the episcopal polity—the higher up in the heirarchy, the larger the flock to which one is responsible.

This is part of why a plurality of elders is so important, I think.

Kyle

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.