James W. Lewis – författare

This comprehensive introduction to polarized light provides students and researchers with the background and the specialized knowledge needed to fully utilize polarized light. It provides a basic introduction to the interaction of light with matter for those unfamiliar with photochemistry and photophysics. An in-depth discussion of polarizing optics is also given. Different analytical techniques are introduced and compared and introductions to the use of polarized light in various forms of spectroscopy are provided.- Starts at a basic level and develops tools for research problems- Discusses practical devices for controlling polarized light- Compares the Jones, Mueller, and Poincaré sphere methods of analysis

Volume One of this two-volume study chronicles the founding, growth and development of 12 congregations that represent the diverse reality of local religious cultures in America. Some, like Center Church in New Haven, Connecticut, trace their stories back to colonial times. Others, like the Swaminarayan Hindu temple in suburban Chicago, are recent attempts to create local religious worlds. Ranging from congregations of Lebanese Muslims in Northern Canada to Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, the essays convey the distinctive character of each congregation and provide evidence of the importance of congregations in daily life. The essays use the particular experience of local religious communities to explore a wide range of issues from the fate of mainline American Protestantism to the rise of charismatic revivalism. In addition to discussing the larger themes of American religious life, the essays portray a variety of notable men and women.

The congregation is a distinctly American religious structure, and is often overlooked in traditional studies of religion. But one cannot understand American religion without understanding the congregation.Volume 1: "Portraits of Twelve Religious Communities" chronicles the founding, growth, and development of congregations that represent the diverse and complex reality of American local religious cultures. The contributors explore multiple issues, from the fate of American Protestantism to the rise of charismatic revivalism.Volume 2: "New Perspectives in the Study of Congregations" builds upon those historical studies, and addresses three crucial questions: Where is the congregation located on the broader map of American cultural and religious life? What are congregations' distinctive qualities, tasks, and roles in American culture? And, what patterns of leadership characterize congregations in America?These essays are an indispensable tool for understanding American congregations and American religion as a whole.

About The Ekklesia ProjectThe Ekklesia Project is a network of Christians from across the Christian tradition who rejoice in a peculiar kind of friendship rooted in our common love of God and the Church. We come together from Catholic parishes, Protestant congregations, communities in the Anabaptist tradition, house-churches and more as those who are convinced that to call ourselves 'Christian' means that following Jesus Christ must shape all areas of life. Seeing Christ's Body as our "e;first family,"e; the Ekklesia Project aims to put discipleship and the Church as an alternative community of practices, worship, and integration at the center of contemporary debates on Christianity and society. For more information about The Ekklesia Project, see its website: www.ekklesiaproject.orgAbout the Congregational Formation InitiativeThe overarching goal of The Ekklesia Project's Congregational Formation Initiative (CFI) is to develop creative and effective ways of supporting congregations that are committed to making lifelong formation and discipleship central to their life together. To support this goal, the CFI fosters collaboration among pastors, scholars and lay persons to develop, refine and disseminate resources and processes that will help initiate and sustain congregational conversations about the fundamental identity and mission of the church. For more information about CFI, including the place of this study in the overall initiative, see the EP website listed above.

About The Ekklesia ProjectThe Ekklesia Project is a network of Christians from across the Christian tradition who rejoice in a peculiar kind of friendship rooted in our common love of God and the Church. We come together from Catholic parishes, Protestant congregations, communities in the Anabaptist tradition, house-churches and more as those who are convinced that to call ourselves 'Christian' means that following Jesus Christ must shape all areas of life. Seeing Christ's Body as our "e;first family,"e; the Ekklesia Project aims to put discipleship and the Church as an alternative community of practices, worship, and integration at the center of contemporary debates on Christianity and society. For more information about The Ekklesia Project, see its website: www.ekklesiaproject.orgAbout the Congregational Formation InitiativeThe overarching goal of The Ekklesia Project's Congregational Formation Initiative (CFI) is to develop creative and effective ways of supporting congregations that are committed to making lifelong formation and discipleship central to their life together. To support this goal, the CFI fosters collaboration among pastors, scholars and lay persons to develop, refine and disseminate resources and processes that will help initiate and sustain congregational conversations about the fundamental identity and mission of the church. For more information about CFI, including the place of this study in the overall initiative, see the EP website listed above.

"A Solution to Affordable Housing" introduces an innovative approach to tackle one of the foremost economic challenges in America today. In a world where an increasing number of homeowners and renters face arduous commutes, undersized and cost burdened housing, expensive childcare, and limited educational options for their children, this book sheds a new light on the underlying issues that bind these problems together. It proposes a unique solution that does not rely on government funding or policy changes in order to provide affordable housing for individuals in all income brackets.