Situation Ethics ❣️

Question 1

why was situation ethics created?

Answer 1

Fletcher 1960s

• adapt Christian ethics to modern day as society was rapidly changing (Civil rights movement/ hippy/ the pill)

Question 2

What is legalism?

Answer 2

Rule-based morality (orthodox📖)

• Rejected by Fletcher as they’re inflexible in modern life 🤸

Question 3

What is antinomianism?

Answer 3

against law and behaving totally without principles (influenced by the HS rather than commandments)

• rejected by Fletcher: ignores Jesus’ law of love and leads to anarchy. ❣️💥

Question 4

Basis of situationism (3)

Answer 4

• halfway between legalism and antinomianism ⚖️
• based on agape (unconditional love) ❤️
• apart from Jesus’ law of love, there are no universals 👨‍⚖️

Question 5

what is agape? (2) ❣️

Answer 5

• unconditional (altruistic)
• love between God and Humnity 😇

Question 6

what is conscience?
(According to Fletcher)

Answer 6

• process of making moral decisions
• conscience is something we do, not something we have

Question 7

What are fletcher’s four working principles?
(Prpp) 👷👩‍🔧👨‍🚒👩‍🏫

Answer 7

1. pragmatism
2. relativism
3. positivism
4. personalism

Question 8

what is pragmatisim?

Answer 8

practical decisions, so you can achieve the final telos, agape.

Question 9

what is relativism?

Answer 9

assessing what is the most loving thing in each situation

Question 10

what is positivism?

Answer 10

Situation ethics requires positive loving choices rather than reason

Question 11

what is personalism? 😇

Answer 11

people-centered (humans are created imago dei) so the needs of people take priority over rules.

Question 12

what are fletcher’s six propositions🐚🌊🌴

Answer 12

1. love is only always good (intrinsically) ♥️
2. love is the only norm
3. love and justice are the same
4. love is not about who you like
5. love justifies its means
6. love’s decisions are relative, not according to the rules

Question 13

strengths of situation ethics (6)

Answer 13

• a middle way between legalism and the chaos of antinomianism, through flexibility 🤸
• encourages taking moral responsibility 👏
• reasons why it is Christian ✝️
• works in the modern age, e.g. its use in medical ethics 💊
• support from Bonhoeffer and Robinson 🐕‍🦺
• law is becoming more relative (i.e abortion act 1967 = mothers circumstance)

Question 14

weaknesses of situation ethics (6)

Answer 14

• some see it as too antinomianistic 💥
• overwhelms people with moral responsibility
• reasons why it isn’t Christian or secular👎
• excuses terrible acts (rape) as teleological
• hard to foresee if outcome is loving
• W.Barclays official critique

Question 15

how is situation ethics Christian? (4)

Answer 15

• promotes agape ❣️
• promotes JLoL 👨‍⚖️
• Jesus acted situationally (picking grain on sabbath). 📖
• Christianity was already breaking away from biblical absolutes (death penalty) ⚰️

Question 16

how is situation ethics not Christian? (6)

Answer 16

• St Paul says ends never justify the means. 👴🏻
• previously banned from RC church ⛔️⛪️
• personalism leads to idolisation of individuals 🗽
• orthodox see 10 commandments as absolute 📖
• forgets the first half of Jesus law of love (love God) 😇
• equality of love with justice is not true to Jesus’ beatitudes ⛰️

Question 17

Some of W.Barclays official critique of situation ethics? (4)

Answer 17

• fletchers scenarios are extreme (psychiatric rape) 🤰💣
• the law is vital (prevent + protect)👩‍⚖️
• there are intrinsic goods and bad 💊
• not everyone has experience or freedom to choose love 🫰

Question 18

biblical examples of situationism: (2)

Answer 18

• the good Samaritan: Jesus shows your duty is to lovingly serve ur fellow man not religious law. puts others needs first.
• Jesus lets his disciples pick grain on the sabbath: prioritises their needs over law 🌾

Question 19

👩‍🎓

Answer 19

Belief and perseverance

Question 20

Anthology

Answer 20

Question 21

2nd anthology

Answer 21

Question 22

3rd anthology

Answer 22

Question 23

4th anthology

Answer 23

Question 24

J.Robinson ❣️>👨‍⚖️

Answer 24

Love not laws

instead of following strict moral laws, individuals should be responsible enough to demonstrate love to others; as shown in JLoL

Question 25

Robinsons **man come of age**

Answer 25

The view that man has **developed enough to make ethical decisions for himself** rather than laws

Question 26

Robinsons inspiration

Answer 26

**Bonhoffer**: 🍬🧲 Man will eventually instinctively follow God without the need of religious law or traditions - no orthodoxy - no outward signs of religion