• Creationism contends that an intelligent, divine designer created the earth, its current life forms, and the universe. Creation events, according to this theory, were one-time events and are not taking place today. Only very minor changes within various species have happened since creation, and no new species have evolved or been created. This viewpoint is held mainly by people called "Biblical creationists," who interpret the Old Testament literally. They regard the first eleven chapters of the Bible as historical, including the creation of everything in six 24-hour days, and that Adam and Eve were created as the first people.
• Evolution (or naturalistic evolution), as descended from Darwin's research, is the cornerstone of modern biology. It regards the formation of life as an ongoing natural process (involving genes, heredity, and adaptation), independent of divine intervention. According to this theory, life has been evolving into greater variety and complexity ever since it began about 4.5 billion years ago. There is ongoing debate among biologists as to evolution's precise nature.
• Theistic evolution holds that evolution happened as supporters of naturalistic evolution believe, but it was a tool created, used, and/or controlled by God.
