Most programmes of adult Christian learning today expect students to engage in theological reflection. The theoretical underpinning for this is often drawn from secular models of reflective practice, made "theological" by the subject matter for reflection. This article aims to establish an explicitly theological basis for the use of the metaphor of reflection to characterize Christian learning. The insights of this approach are explored in relation to a validated programme of education for Christian ministry on which the author teaches, and some implications are suggested for all church-based learning. (Contains 5 notes.)