More about the Maesters vs. the Faith. Isn’t it counter historical (even for a fantasy version) that there isn’t a man of the cloth on the Small Council? One would think it would make a king look more godly to his smallfolk (who seem to care about that sort of thing).

You have to think about what the relationship is between the King and the Faith – he gets to appoint the High Septon, the avatar of the gods themselves. Why does he need a man of the cloth on the Small Council when you’ve got the #1 guy on tap for holiness? Why give the Faith any scrap of political power?