Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts do not go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them.
Great quote, MidwichCuckoo (i like your nickname)
To put things straight:
Fact: 'World's data', an enormous amount of fossils
Hypothesis 1: Evolution, this view leads to different theories trying to interpret this FACT
Hypothesis 2: Acts of creation
Empirical fact 1: we observe evolution all around us (see thread 'making a case for evolution')
Empirical fact 2: we don't observe acts of creation
Conclusion: Due to lack of empirical evidence, we should reject 'the creative acts' hypothesis and accept the existence of evolution. Our task is to critically examine the theories available, NOT to reject the MERE existence of evolution.