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I just don't think that the existence or non-existence of God is relevant when discussing the mechanism of creation.

How can it possibly not be relevant? In order to even begin don't we have to at least have a 'creator' in mind? I mean, to discuss creation without a creator seems rather pointless. That's like saying my paints and canvases somehow churn out masterpieces on their own due the fact of their singular existence. That would be nice, but it's not happening at the moment. If you ever figure out how something can be created without a person to create, please let me know. I would even pay for the information!!! I have lots and lots of ideas but only so much skill... something like that would mean a lot to me.
Maybe I wasn't clear. Let's say you have a painting in front of you. It is a moderately complex watercolor for example. I don't paint (except houses) so I may realize that a talented person painted the watercolor but not have a clue as to how the artist did it. So, I call on a specialist who can point out what the artist did by using clues left behind like brush strokes and color patterns...things like that. If I then asked another specialist about the painting, I might get some differing details because that expert's experience and knowledge is a little different from the first expert.

That's what we have with origins. Sure, God made it. However, the details are shrouded in history, and the rocks, and the fossils. How much of Genesis is legend or parable-like stories that teach a lesson about God in clear uncomplicated terms? I don't know. So, we can use the rocks and knowledge about how things work in order to get a glimmer of what a master painter God really is.

A faith that connot survive collision with the truth is not worth many regrets. -- Arthur C. Clarke