fact, is evolution itself. It is historically ignorant to suppose, as the

modem myth does, that Darwin was opposed by solid ranks of

obscurantist clergymen when The Origin of Species was published

in 1859. In both Britain and the United States there were Christians,

like Charles Kingsley and Asa Gray, who welcomed his insights.

Kingsley coined the phrase that, in a nutshell, sums up a

theological understanding of evolution. He said that God had

done something cleverer than producing a ready-made creation,

for God had created a world “that could make itself.” If there is a

God who is the God of love, then creation could never be just the

divine puppet theatre. The gift of love is always the gift of a due

independence, as wise parents know in relation to their children.

The God of love must be one who allows creatures to be themselves,

and to make themselves by exploring the endowment of

potentiality given to creation. “Chance” simply means historical

contingency—this happens rather than that. It is not automatically

to be given the tendentious adjective “blind,” as if it were an

unambiguous sign of meaninglessness. Rather, it may be seen as

signifying the shuffling exploration and realization of fertile possibilities,

by which creation makes itself. This due independence of

process is a good gift, but it has a necessary cost attached to it.

Raggednesses and blind alleys, as well as fruitful outcomes, are

inescapable accompaniments of this evolving self-realization.

[John Polkinghorne in The Faith of Scientists, page 370]