any notion of purposive design. Mainstream theology, however, interprets evolution as a process that is intended, created and sustained by God. Perhaps it may also be subject to continuing divine guidance, with God working within an open, hierarchical system rather than being faced by one that is wholly determined and therefore closed to such ‘outside influences’ (3.3, see also 4.2). Criticisms of evolutionary biology from biblical literalists and ‘creation science’, and from the much less extremist