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First, the essay analyses the <jats:italic>Origin<\/jats:italic>'s theological language about God's accessibility, honesty, methods of creating, relationship to natural laws and lack of responsibility for natural suffering; the essay contends that Darwin utilized <jats:italic>positiva<\/jats:italic> theology in order to help justify (and inform) descent with modification and to attack special creation. Second, the essay offers critical analysis of this theology, drawing in part on Darwin's mature ruminations to suggest that, from an epistemic point of view, the <jats:italic>Origin<\/jats:italic>'s <jats:italic>positiva<\/jats:italic> theology manifests several internal tensions. Finally, the essay reflects on the relative epistemic importance of <jats:italic>positiva<\/jats:italic> theology in the <jats:italic>Origin<\/jats:italic>'s overall case for evolution. The essay concludes that this theology served as a handmaiden and accomplice to Darwin's science.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1017\/s000708741100032x","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,5,4]],"date-time":"2011-05-04T11:49:05Z","timestamp":1304509745000},"page":"29-56","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Charles Darwin's use of theology in the <i>Origin of Species<\/i>"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"45","author":[{"given":"STEPHEN","family":"DILLEY","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2011,5,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"S000708741100032X_ref27","first-page":"227","article-title":"Why was Darwin believed?","volume":"11","author":"Angus Campbell","year":"2003","journal-title":"Configurations"},{"key":"S000708741100032X_ref25","first-page":"100","volume-title":"An Inquiry Concerning Human 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