Can a Loving God Use Evolution? Denis Alexander vs Ed Atkinson hosted by John Nelson

Unbelievable?

Premier Unbelievable?

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 3 June 2026

⏱️ 86 minutes

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Summary

What does evolution mean for Christian faith? In this episode of Unbelievable?, John Nelson hosts a thoughtful dialogue between molecular biologist Dr Denis Alexander and returning guest Ed Atkinson on one of the deepest questions in science and theology. Can evolution be reconciled with the character of God, or do millions of years of suffering count against belief? Denis argues that evolution can fit within a Christian vision of creation, purpose and resurrection. At the same time, Ed presses the moral problem of suffering, questioning whether such a costly process is compatible with a loving God. Along the way, they discuss free will, the fall, the image of God, human uniqueness, morality, and whether meaning depends on ultimate purpose - a rich and honest conversation at the intersection of evolution, suffering, and faith. Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast at www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com 📢 Follow us

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Some things need a bigger conversation. Breakwater Festival comes to London this June for three days of brave, open discussions about belief, theology and the questions shaping our culture. This year's theme is cross-pollination, conversing across religious lines. Here from Justin Breilly, Elizabeth Oakfield, Glenn Skrfner, Paul van der Klay and more.
0:22.6	Friday the 19th to Sunday the 21st of June in Clerkenwell and Mayfair.
0:26.6	Book now at the breakwater network.com
0:29.6	Hello and welcome to Unbelievable, the show that brings Christians and non-Christians together to discuss theology,
0:38.1	philosophy and culture. I'm John Nelson, and today on the show we're diving into the theological
0:43.0	implications of evolution. Most scientists today, Christian or not, accept evolution as the process
0:49.9	by which human life developed, but does evolution point towards or away from God? What do we do
0:56.6	with millions of years of suffering? And what can evolution teach us about the meaning of our lives today?
1:03.1	Tell me tackle these questions I can think of no two better people than today's guests. Dr. Dennis
1:09.6	Alexander is a molecular biologist and author of creation
1:13.3	or evolution, do we have to choose? He is also co-founder of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion,
1:20.3	which is one of the world's leading centres for science and religion dialogue. Joining Dennis on the show
1:26.2	is longtime friend of Unbelievable and friend of mine,
1:29.4	Ed Atkinson. As many of our regular listeners will know, Ed was a Christian convert who came
1:34.8	to step away from his faith in his 30s, yet he has kept on his search to explore the truth
1:39.8	of Christianity. After studying engineering at Cambridge, Ed has spent his career in applied science and international development.
1:47.0	Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to welcome you to Unplevable.
1:50.0	Thank you.
1:51.0	I wonder if we can start by thinking about evolution and the character of God, because I think for many people,
1:58.0	we see evolution as this long extended process of waste and death and
2:03.8	struggle. And maybe we can start with you, Dennis. How would you reconcile this process? How do you
2:09.8	think about it in relation to the Christian God? Well, I think a big question is the extent to which
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