The Victorians: Religion and Science - Professor Richard J. Evans

If there was any single belief that characterized the Victorian era it was Christian belief. Religion pervaded social and political life to an extent almost unimaginable today. Yet this was also an age of major scientific progress and discovery. Ranging from Darwin’s Origin of Species to Strauss’s Life of Jesus, new techniques and approaches undermined faith in the literal truth of the Bible. This lecture looks at the relationship between science and religion and attempts to explain the growth towards the end of the century of ’secularization’ and ’dechristianization’ in the mass of the urban population. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham’s mission, please consider making a donation: