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Developments both in science and religious scholarship completely changed how the generality of educated people perceived the Bible. The publications of scientists such as Sir Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin, and religious scholars like Schleiermacher, Mohler and Strauss led many to distrust or even abandon their belief in the inspiration of the Bible and the divinity of Christ. (159:3) Despite these trends there remained a substantial number of conservative Christians who continued to adhere to traditional views about the meaning of the Bible and who firmly believed that Christianity would be vindicated by the literal fulfilment of biblical prophecy. As the century drew to a close and it seemed that their interpretations of prophecy had been misguided, Christian scholars and preachers were confronted with having to admit they had been wrong about the Scriptures at a time when many of their followers were already beginning to doubt the Bible's reliability. The seeming lack of fulfilment following upon such high hopes at a time of such heavy criticism was a crushing blow to mainstream Christianity. Thereafter, a process of secularization gained a momentum that Christian leaders have never been able to halt.
(159:4)
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