Lewis on the Creation Story

This is from his book Miracles:
"No philosophical theory which I have yet come across is a radical improvement on the words of Genesis, that 'In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth'. I say 'radical' improvement, because the story in Genesis—as St Jerome said long ago—is told in the manner 'of a popular poet', or as we should say, in the form of folk tale. But if you compare it with the creation legends of other peoples—with all these delightful absurdities in which giants to be cut up and floods to be dried up are made to exist before creation—the depth and originality of this Hebrew folk tale will soon be apparent." ("Nature and Supernature")

I do not like to take on arguments about which story is better. Rather, I know that since I am a Christian I will believe that my story is better than all other creation stories (cosmogonies). The Babylonian Enuma Elish (which Lewis alludes to) is not my story and therefore does not appeal to me.

On the other hand, it is interesting that of all the ancient cosmogonies, only the Hebrew one continues to capture the imagination of people who live 2500-3000 years after it was composed. The allure of this story may be a by-product of its place in the larger Christian drama of salvation, but one should also be aware of the extent to which the Hebrew cosmogony is responsible for and resonates with the modern Western exalted view of nature and the human person.