of the Church must bear in mind in its partnership with theology. First, however, we must fill out the idea which emerged in outline from the sketch of Paul and John. We are now in a position to say that both faith and rational reflection are integral to theology. The absence of either principle would bring about theology’s demise. This implies that theology is based upon a new beginning in thought which is not the product of our own reflection but has its origin in the encounter with a Word which