They aren't. Here's the spectrum of beliefs as I understand it. YC = Young Earth Creationist PC = Progressive Creationist TE = Theistic Evolutionist

They aren't. Here's the spectrum of beliefs as I understand it. YC = Young Earth Creationist PC = Progressive Creationist TE = Theistic Evolutionist NE = Naturalistic Evolutionist ID = Intelligent Design - - | | Selection pressure drives changes in balance of genetic traits | | in a population over time | | | YC Trivial, yet novel, beneficial mutations happen | | | | Some mutations permanently change populations | | | ... Trivial speciation occurs via natural means | | | Species within a 'kind' of animal (e.g., dogs and wolves) may | | share a common ancestor | | | | Earth and universe are billions of years old | | | PC Different species have arisen over millions of years of history | | ID | Some classes of creatures not mentioned in Genesis (e.g., bacteria, | | algae) may share a common ancestor | | | ... Fossil record accurately reflects biological diversity over time | | | | 'Kinds' of animals are not necessarily uniquely created; some may have | | been the result of external genetic tinkering | | | | Some types of creatures may have been created *ex nihilo*, some may | | have been genetically engineered, some may have evolved from others; | | no ideological preference, it is a purely scientific question. | | | | All life may have a common ancestor | | | | Biological diversity is explained entirely via mutation and natural | TE selection, but some mutations may be of 'hidden' supernatural origin | | (e.g., God orchestrates cosmic rays to make unlikely things happen) | | | | Any creative influence exerted by God on evolution occured in | | the setup of the universe; biological diversity in history is solely | | a result of the operation of natural laws. - | | The origin of life itself has a purely naturalistic explanation. - | NE The origin and diversity of life, including the suitability of the | universe to life, is explicable solely in terms of natural laws. -