Situation Ethics Flashcards
(30 cards)
Pharisees and Jesus
When asked about divorce law Jesus referred them back to creation rather than the law of Moses , which was designed to accommodate mans sinful nature.
William Barclay description of agape
’ unconquerable good will it is the determination to seek the other mans highest good , no matter what he does to you ‘
2 of fletchers examples of situation ethics
Woman who kills her crying baby to save a party from a massacre by Indians in the wilderness trail.
Mrs Bergmeier - deliberately asks a Russian prison camp guard to make her pregnant so she can be released to return to her family in Germany - sacrificial adultery
Robinson comment on fletchers situation ethics
’’ if we operated in the spirit of love then We would be prevented from performing immoral acts ‘
‘Dr fletchers approach is the only ethic for ‘man come of age ‘
‘ there is no ethical system which can claim to be Christian ‘
Fletcher love and justice
’ for justice is love distributed , nothing else ‘
What are the 4 working principles ?
Pragmatism, relativism , positivism, personalism
What is pragmatism ?
The proposed course of action should work. Success or failure should should be judged according to the principle.
What’s relativism ?
This rejects absolutes such as ‘never’ and ‘ always ‘. There are no fixed rules which should be insured. All rules should be relative to Christian love.
What’s Positivism
Recognise love as the most important criteria. Theological positivism you have to choose to want to do good
What is personalism ?
Demands that people should be put first
What is the first of the 6 fundamental principles ?
’ Only one thing is intrinsically good , namely love : nothing else at all ‘( fletcher )
What is the 2nd fundamental principle ?
’ the ruling norm of Christian decisions is love - nothing else ‘
What is the 3rd fundamental principle ?
’ love and justice are the same , for justice is love distributed , nothing else ‘
What is the 4th fundamental principle ?
’ love wills the neighbors good , whether we like him or not ‘
What’s the 5th fundamental principles ?
’ only the ends justify the means , nothing else ‘
What’s the 6th fundamental principle ?
’ love decisions are made situationally , not prescriptively ‘
Love quote. Jesus
’ love your neighbour as thyself ‘( Luke 10:27)
Jesus love enemies
Jesus said to ‘ love your enemies ‘ this promotes unconditional love towards people no matter who they are
Barclay criticism
Fletcher underestimates the actual freedom of humans to make moral decisions purely based on love as surely other factors like upbringing etc. effect ones ability to make decisions. Christians may need rules to help them make moral loving decisions
St Augustine
If a man is a good man ‘ one does not ask what he believed or what he hopes , but what he loves ‘
Barclay describing agape
’ unconquerable good will; it is the determination to seek the other mans highest good , no matter what’s he does to you ‘
Fletcher was inspired by a St. Louis taxi driver who said
’ sometimes you’ve Gotta put your principles to one side and do the right thing’
Fletcher claimed that situationalists should be
’ fully armed with the ethical maxims of his community’ and was careful to note that laws should only be followed ‘ if love seems better served by doing so ‘
Barclay criticism
‘If all men were saints , then situation ethics would be the perfect ethics… But man has not yet come of age. Man , therefore still need the crutch and protection of the law.’
