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The Honest Confessions of Rev. Ben Fiddian: a Darwinian Christian Zoologist

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Evolutionary theory was the assumed framework of every course I studied as an undergraduate biosciences student. In some courses it was the explicit focus. In others, it was more implicit because it provides the structure by which many different strands of biology can be functionally interlinked in intellectually insightful ways. After my degree I went straight into research work at Cambridge University Department of Zoology. It was a place where you could take the theory of evolution for granted - no one would ever think to challenge it. They have recently opened a new centre, named after the popular contemporary TV spokesman of evolution, Sir David Attenborough. On one occasion whilst working at Cambridge, I was offered a job at the ‘Faraday Institute for Christianity and Science’, after a warm and informal discussion with its director, Dr Dennis Alexander. The Faraday Institute is known for promoting a ‘theistic’ approach to the theory of evolution - the idea that the first few