In rural regions of East Germany, the legacy of de-Christianization during the GDR era, the socio-economic impacts of reunification – such as economic challenges, unemployment, and demographic shifts due to age- and sex-selective migration – intersect with ongoing trends of secularization. These factors have contributed to a notable decline in the number of Evangelical and Catholic church members, who contribute to church tax, attend services, and engage in community activities. Consequently, rural parishes within the Evangelical Church of Germany face the challenge of pastoral position reductions driven by financial limitations. Drawing on empirically based analyses previously published, we offer a theoretical interpretation employing Laclau’s concept of dislocation to provide a deeper understanding of the subjective perception and impacts of pastors restructuring within the context of socio-economic peripheralization in rural regions.