One such was a medieval theologian, Taqi al-Din ibn Taymiyya, a sort of Muslim Luther who in reaction to the Mongol onslaught of the 13th century preached a returnto the essentials of the faith, which the ulema (clerics) of the time had forsaken.
The Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, the Church's Bishop for Urban Life and Faith, said he feared Britain would simply returnto a "financial system based on indebtedness" after the current crisis.
It is hoped the returnto space after a two-and-a-half-year absence will restore people's faith in the shuttle programme and boost American expectations for further exploration of space.