Biblical theology, defined as the relation between the biblical text and contemporary Christian life, is essential to the validity of exegesis and dogmatics. Its necessity is imposed on exegesis according to the nature of the Bible, and on dogmatics by virtue of the precedence of biblical witness in its task of elucidation. It receives its conditions of possibility from the willingness of dogmaticians and exegetes to take into account the interrelatedness of their disciplines.