2) Lyell was the geologist that proposed the theory of Uniformitarianism. This theory proposed that the Earth's crust changes occurred with the same speed and intensity as they occur today.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/02/4/l_024_01.html
3) In evolution, it is evident how changes within a species don't just take one generation to occur- they take multiple. Individuals do not change, populations do and so evolution occurs between generations. Additionally, change takes too long to be able to observe in one lifetime, but that doesn't mean it does not occur. Likewise to the earth'[s crust, changes within species may have taken thousands of years to happen, yet we can still observe and point out similar and different characteristics within species. Lyell influenced Darwin through his theory of uniformitarianism; the theory showed a correlation to species in the way that a lot of time passes between evolution, and certain traits that are necessary for survival are passed on through generations.
4) I believe it is possible that without Lyell's contribution to geology, Darwin may have not been able to propose his theory of evolution. Darwin was unable to explain the possibility of evolution until the theory of uniformitarianism was proposed, which influenced his thinking. Just as the earth's crust took millions of years to change and shape to the way it is today, the same principle was applied to species by Darwin.
5) The church did not agree with Darwin's theory of evolution because it contradicted religious beliefs. It was believed that all creatures created by God were fixed, and therefore a possibility of evolution did not exist. As a result, Darwin received a lot of backlash and controversy for his publication on evolution- as expected. Darwin's goal was to offer a plausible explanation for the evolution of species.
