In other words, ideas rule the world. I have already on many occasions discussed the effective power of Christian philosophy to transform man and society. I wish now to point to several areas of world culture and civilization where this influence has had distinctive effects historically detectable and verifiable. Admittedly, this influence of Christian philosophy in society, in individuals and in the world of culture has occurred under the guidance of Christian theology. So, faith holds the primacy, but reason both precedes it and follows it.
Philosophical enquiry begins always with questions .
He wrote the latter for Christians, using philosophy as a tool for theology to be a blend or synthesis of faith and reason. It is precisely this philosophy utilized by Christian theologians that has had an obvious and far-reaching impact on man and society, on Western civilization and culture, and thereby on world culture and civilization. It is actually the Judeo-Christian tradition with its distinctive philosophy that has given the edge to the Western world in leading the world civilization, not any alleged genetic or racial superiority, whose complete falsehood has been thoroughly demonstrated by sound philosophy and modern science, and resolutely rejected by sound theology. Racism is utterly absurd, so that the evident superiority of Western culture can only be the effect of its distinctive religion, namely the Judeo-Christian tradition. The present Pope, acknowledged worldwide as the most outstanding philosopher of our age, has made the centrality of Christian Philosophy one of the capital themes of his pontificate, especially in the social teaching of the Church on the dignity of the human person, the primacy of the family, and the function of the state with regard to the common good, as a basis for ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue.