35-525: Leisure class is an alternative term for upper class . It may also refer to The Theory of the Leisure Class , seminal 1899 economics work Leisure Class (band) , American rock band The Leisure Class , 2015 American film See also [ edit ] Old money Gentry Ruling class Café society Jet set Leisure The Idle Rich (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
70-453: A derivative of episcopalianism known as connexional polity. It emphasizes essential interdependence through fellowship, consultation, government and oversight. Some Methodist churches have bishops , but those individuals are not nearly as powerful as in episcopal churches. Connexionalism is sometimes identified as an organization, while other times as relationship or theological principle. The United Methodist Church defines connection as
105-523: A disproportionate influence over the nation's political, educational, religious, and other institutions. Of all social classes, members of the upper class also have a strong sense of solidarity and 'consciousness of kind' that stretches across the nation and even the globe. Since the 1970s, income inequality in the United States has been increasing, with the top 1% (largely because of the top 0.1%) experiencing significantly larger gains in income than
140-415: A few number of professionals , are considered members of this class by contemporary sociologists, such as James Henslin or Dennis Gilbert . There may be prestige differences between different upper-class households. An A-list actor, for example, might not be accorded as much prestige as a former U.S. President , yet all members of this class are so influential and wealthy as to be considered members of
175-650: A leader of an individual congregation; it may also be used as an honorific, particularly within the Holiness movement . Although a church's polity determines its ministers and discipline, it need not affect relations with other Christian organizations. The unity of a church is an essential doctrine of ecclesiology , but because the divisions between churches presuppose the absence of mutual authority, internal polity does not directly answer how these divisions are treated. For example, among churches of episcopal polity, different theories are expressed: A plurality of elders
210-432: A model of social stratification . Historically in some cultures, members of an upper class often did not have to work for a living, as they were supported by earned or inherited investments (often real estate ), although members of the upper class may have had less actual money than merchants. Upper-class status commonly derived from the social position of one's family and not from one's own achievements or wealth. Much of
245-402: A single local church and is called the session or consistory ; its members are called elders . The minister of the church (sometimes referred to as a teaching elder ) is a member of and presides over the session; lay representatives ( ruling elders or, informally, just elders) are elected by the congregation. The session sends representatives to the next level higher council, called
280-825: A wide variety of historical rights and honours which may cut across simple lines of authority. Episcopal polity is the predominant pattern in Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , and Anglican churches. It is common in some Methodist and Lutheran churches, as well as amongst some of the African-American Pentecostal traditions such as the Church of God in Christ and the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship . Many Methodist and Wesleyan churches use
315-547: Is considered desirable in some (esp. reformed) traditions, preferring two or more officers in the local church. The contrasts with singular models often found in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches, or the "pastor/president" system of some Protestant churches. This is commonly encouraged among Presbyterians , some Pentecostal churches, Churches of Christ , the Disciples of Christ , Baptists and
350-424: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Upper class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society , and wield the greatest political power . According to this view, the upper class is generally distinguished by immense wealth which
385-698: Is estimated to constitute less than 1% of the population. By self-identification, according to this 2001–2012 Gallup Poll data, 98% of Americans identify with the five other class terms used, 48–50% identifying as "middle class". The main distinguishing feature of the upper class is its ability to derive enormous incomes from wealth through techniques such as money management and investing, rather than engaging in wage-labor salaried employment, although most upper-class individuals today will still hold some sort of employment, which differs from historical norms. Successful entrepreneurs , CEOs , investment bankers , venture capitalists , heir to fortunes, celebrities, and
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#1732764756048420-541: Is paralleled by a system of deputies, who are lay and clerical representatives elected by parishes and, at the national level, by the dioceses. Legislation in the general convention requires the separate consent of the bishops and of the deputies. Congregational polity is historically reformed , like presbyterianism, but retains the autonomy (lit. self-rule) of the local church. Congregational churches dispense titles such as "Popes, Patriarchs, Cardinals, Arch-Bishops, Lord-Bishops, Arch-Deacons, Officials, Commissaries, and
455-497: Is passed on from generation to generation. Prior to the 20th century, the emphasis was on aristocracy , which emphasized generations of inherited noble status , not just recent wealth. Because the upper classes of a society may no longer rule the society in which they are living, they are often referred to as the old upper classes, and they are often culturally distinct from the newly rich middle classes that tend to dominate public life in modern social democracies. According to
490-492: The Church Order of Dordrecht (1618/1619) will, in general, consider their levels of government "broader" rather than "higher" courts. Additionally, the reformed classis is a temporary, delegated body, so the minister is firstly a member of his congregation as opposed to the standing presbytery. The Episcopal Church in the United States of America arguably contains a kind of lay presbyterian polity. Governance by bishops
525-399: The presbytery or classis . In some Presbyterian churches there are higher level councils ( synods or general assemblies ). Each council has authority over its constituents, and the representatives at each level are expected to use their own judgment. For example, each session approves and installs its own elders, and each presbytery approves the ministers serving within its territory and
560-895: The Cambridge Platform , Savoy Declaration , Saybrook Platform and Second London Confession . As a "self-governed voluntary institution", it could be considered a type of religious anarchism . Other religious organizations, for example Seventh-day Adventist , Jehovah's Witnesses , the Salvation Army , and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), are unique. Some have hierarchies similar to an episcopal polity, but may be more complex, with additional levels. Leaders are not always called bishops , in some cases they have secular-like titles such as president or overseer . The term bishop may be used to describe functionaries in minor leadership roles, such as
595-630: The Greek word epískopos , which translates as overseer . In the Catholic Church, bishops have authority over the diocese , which is both sacramental and political; as well as performing ordinations , confirmations , and consecrations , the bishop supervises the clergy of the diocese and represents the diocese both secularly and in the hierarchy of church governance. Bishops may be subject to higher ranking bishops (variously called archbishops , metropolitans or patriarchs , depending upon
630-725: The Peerage of Ireland granted by the British monarch have no recognition in the Irish Constitution. Contemporary Ireland is generally perceived to have a two-tier social class system composed of working class and middle class (with the exception of a small number of wealthy billionaires). The American upper class is a social group within the United States consisting of people who have the highest social rank primarily due to economic wealth . The American upper class
665-440: The church generally ranges from two (elder & deacon) to four (pastor, teacher, ruling elder & deacon) in congregational churches. Churches with congregational polity include Congregationalists , Baptists , Quakers and much of Non-denominational Christianity . Congregational polity is sometimes called Baptist polity because of the relative prevalence of Baptists. Historic statements of congregational polity include
700-512: The connections between those ministers and particular congregations. Hence higher level councils act as courts of appeal for church trials and disputes, and it is not uncommon to see rulings and decisions overturned. Presbyterian polity and the Presbyterian tradition are not identical. Continental reformed churches (e.g. Dutch ) can also be described as presbyterian, with a few key differences. Continental churches that historically follow
735-515: The episcopal polity maintained by the Catholic Church , and consequently different Protestant bodies organized into different types of polities. During this period Richard Hooker wrote Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity , the first volumes of which were published in 1594, to defend the polity of the Church of England against Puritan objections. It is from the title of this work that
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#1732764756048770-834: The first chapters of the Acts of the Apostles and "theological debate about the nature, location, and exercise of authority, in the church" has been ongoing ever since. The first act recorded after the Ascension of Jesus Christ was the election of Saint Matthias as one of the Twelve Apostles , to replace Judas Iscariot . During the Protestant Reformation , reformers asserted that the New Testament prescribed an ecclesiastical government different from
805-462: The latter view held by the traditional upper classes, no amount of individual wealth or fame would make a person from an undistinguished background into a member of the upper class as one must be born into a family of that class and raised in a particular manner to understand and share upper class values, traditions, and cultural norms. The term is often used in conjunction with terms like upper-middle class , middle class , and working class as part of
840-538: The like". The congregation has its being without any ministers and is enabled to elect and install its own officers. Ordination may involve officers of other churches, especially when the church participates in a local vicinage , association , or convention. Broader assemblies formed by delegates from congregationally governed churches (e.g. the Southern Baptist Convention ) do not have power to rule their constituents. The number of offices in
875-527: The merchant class and were ennobled between the 14th and 19th centuries while intermarrying with the old nobility and gentry. Since the Second World War , the term has come to encompass rich and powerful members of the managerial and professional classes as well. In the years since Irish independence in 1922 the upper class has all but vanished in the Republic of Ireland. Aristocratic titles within
910-468: The nation. But its money buys plenty of access." Ecclesiastical polity Ecclesiastical polity is the government of a church. There are local ( congregational ) forms of organization as well as denominational . A church's polity may describe its ministerial offices or an authority structure between churches. Polity relates closely to ecclesiology , the theological study of the church. Questions of church government were documented early on in
945-637: The population that composed the upper class consisted of aristocrats, ruling families, titled people, and religious hierarchs . These people were usually born into their status and historically there was not much movement across class boundaries. In many countries, the term "upper class" was intimately associated with hereditary land ownership. Political power was often in the hands of the landowners in many pre-industrial societies despite there being no legal barriers to land ownership for other social classes. Upper-class landowners in Europe were often also members of
980-490: The principle that "all leaders and congregations are connected in a network of loyalties and commitments that support, yet supersede, local concerns." A minority of Methodist denominations use another non-connexional form of government, such as the Congregational Methodist Church . Many Reformed churches are governed by a hierarchy of councils (or courts ). The lowest level council governs
1015-558: The rest of society. Alan Greenspan , former chair of the Federal Reserve , sees it as a problem for society, calling it a "very disturbing trend". According to the book Who Rules America? by William Domhoff , the distribution of wealth in America is the primary highlight of the influence of the upper class. The top 1% of Americans own around 34% of the wealth in the U.S. while the bottom 80% own only approximately 16% of
1050-423: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Leisure Class . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leisure_Class&oldid=1031386802 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
1085-470: The term ecclesiastical polity may have originated. With respect to ecclesiology , Hooker preferred the term polity to government as the former term "containeth both [the] government and also whatsoever besides belongeth to the ordering of the Church in public." There are four general types of polity: episcopal , connexional , presbyterian , and congregational . Churches having episcopal polity are governed by bishops . The title bishop comes from
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1120-602: The titled nobility , though not necessarily: the prevalence of titles of nobility varied widely from country to country. Some upper classes were almost entirely untitled, for example, the Szlachta of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . In Great Britain and Ireland , the "upper class" traditionally comprised the landed gentry and the aristocracy of noble families with hereditary titles. The vast majority of post-medieval aristocratic families originated in
1155-558: The tradition; see article Bishop ) They also meet in councils or synods . These synods, subject to precedency by higher ranking bishops, may govern the dioceses which are represented in the council, though the synod may also be purely advisory. In episcopal polity, presbyter (elder) refers to a priest . Churches governed by episcopacy do not simply adhere to a chain of command . Instead, some authority may be held by synods and colleges of bishops, and other authority by lay and clerical councils. Patterns of authority are subject to
1190-501: The upper class. At the pinnacle of U.S. wealth, 2004 saw a dramatic increase in the numbers of billionaires. According to Forbes Magazine , there are now 374 U.S. billionaires. The growth in billionaires took a dramatic leap since the early 1980s, when the average net worth of the individuals on the Forbes 400 list was $ 400 million. Today , the average net worth is $ 2.8 billion. Upper-class families... dominate corporate America and have
1225-403: The wealth. This large disparity displays the unequal distribution of wealth in America in absolute terms. In 1998, Bob Herbert of The New York Times referred to modern American plutocrats as " The Donor Class " (list of top donors) and defined the class, for the first time, as "a tiny group – just one-quarter of 1 percent of the population – and it is not representative of the rest of
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