In reply to J.D. Grimes.

So the idea based on what I've read is that the core of WordPress should contain most of the heavy handed features we see in themes. That way, all of the code used for those heavy handed features in themes can be removed thus, lessening the complexity and baggage of the theme itself. Themes would then tap into the core of WordPress to use a slider, pagination, or other commonly used features that need to be coded from scratch.

In this light, themes become less about PHP and more about CSS/Visual elements to set it apart. Theme designers can get back to concentrating on the presentation of content, not the structure of it.