"Charles Darwin: 200 years from your birth, the Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still. We try to practice the old virtues of 'faith seeking understanding' and hope that makes some amends."

The apology was written by the Rev. Malcolm Brown, the church's director of mission and public affairs, who said the church was over-defensive and over-emotional in dismissing Darwin's theory of natural selection, delineated in his 1859 book "On the Origin of Species," The Sunday Times of London reported.

Some church officials said the apology is sure to anger those in the church who believe in creationism and regard Darwin's views as opposed to traditional Christian teaching, the Times reported, noting the apology is to be posted on the church's Web site.