My suspicion for a half century has been that at least some clergy have their brains held hostage by conservative tithers. To dare speak a questioning thought, to dare inform about the realities of biblical scholarship, would be to put a job at risk. Clergy learn to do the subtle shuffle, carefully sidestepping controversy and dancing away from disruptive words and actions. In other words, clergy are often no better than the politicians. We follow the polls of what people are thinking and do and say what is not likely to lose support.
Clergy are really in a poor position.
You don't last long without a constituency. Out went the organ and fancy pulpit and chancel furniture. In came live music, honest to God preaching, and multiple ministries to the poor and hungry and needy of all sorts. In came young street people, poor people, bag ladies, gay people, people of all colors. They served over 5,000 meals to street people last Christmas.