Don't fear it, make it work for you. Before John Kerry came along, before the libs took the word and ruined it, "nuance" was a nice word. It doesn't just mean weasel-ly, it meant layered meaning. Language is a gift, not a straightjacket.
I define "theory" as a hatrack. I have all these hats that make no sense, but when I put them on the rack, they are orderly and meaningful. I can see which one works for what. Theory is a model, evolution is a model. I don't see how you can teach beginning biology without talking about the relatedness of living things. However, once the Tree is mastered, there really is no need for a "belief" in evolution either from students or teachers. Science and biology can move quite profitably without loyalty oaths one way or another.