Indeed! It drives evolution. Here's an interesting description of the beginning as it relates to evolutionary theory (Grandpierre, "The Physics of Collective Consciousness," 1996):
"The evolution of consciousness -- as the evolution of the Universe shows us -- actually is in contrast to the presently accepted evolutionary theories, which want to build up the whole from the parts. In reality, evolution started from the whole and progessively differentiated into parts, from the timeless-spaceless form (e.g., the 'implicit order' or 'pre-space' of D. Bohm and J. A. Wheeler), through galaxies, through the development of the Solar System and the Earth, the appearance of the biosphere and mankind, until the human individual. 'Cosmologies of wholeness' are emerging (see Laszlo, E., 1993; Harris, 1988). All of the cosmic evolution formed sub-systems within systems. Evolution begins with 'systems,' 'elements' develop only later on. Every system originates as a subsystem of a larger, inclusive system. The organization of the sub-system is made by the creator system, and the organizational factor acts from within, as well. This fact assumes the creator system is in a certain way transformed into the to-be-created subsystem, the 'whole' is transformed to the 'part.' This global-local transformation is a necessary condition of the generation of the new system. Therefore, the Universe acted continuously as an agent with organizing ability, and is progressively transformed from the largest of its subsystems into the smallest ones. The trend of evolution is simultaneously going towards a higher complexity and this way towards more and more complex subsystems, and in this way the real evolution is also accompanied by the state of becoming more and more complex and towards higher and higher forms of consciousness. Ervin Laszlo remarked: 'Evolution acts on species and populations and not only -- or even mainly -- on individual reproducers. Individual variations do not contribute significantly to the emergence of new species.'..."
His was the only article I could find on the evolution of consciousness and that part about "global-local transformation" certainly makes sense for the situation of "there must be a beginning."
Or to put it in more Judeo-Christian terms, in the beginning God created everything of Himself. There was nothing else of which anything could be created. And the process of creating is also therefore of Himself. What arises from the creating process is new consciousness - the individual being and perhaps also a collective of consciousness.
I believe this is all according to His plan, leading ultimately to His Kingdom coming (after all the dross is culled.)
Just my two cents...