Theological reflection puts our experience into a genuine conversation with our religious heritage. This conversation opens the gates between our experience and our Christian heritage. It helps us access the Christian tradition as a reliable source of guidance as we search to discover the meaning of what God is doing now in our individual and corporate lives. It assists us to clarify and deepen our relationship to the Christian tradition, especially when we struggle with its sinful and oppressive aspects. This conversation also enriches and strengthens our experiences of the tradition’s sustaining wisdom and power. Further, it trains us to discern the presence of God’s spirit in the social events and movements of our time.