Moral Conflict: Five Views

Question 1

Antinomianism

Answer 1

Denies any divine, universal moral absolutes (denies a regulative role for moral law; conflict cannot occur)

Utilitarians
Existentialists
Nihilists
Emotivists

Question 2

Situationalism

Answer 2

Affirms existence of one universal, moral absolute: duty to love others (“Do the most loving thing”)

Joseph Fletcher
John Dewey

Question 3

Conflicting Absolutism

Answer 3

There are many moral norms that conflict in theory and practice…so choose the lesser of two evils, then ask forgiveness.

J.I. Packer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Question 4

Graded Absolutism

Answer 4

There are many moral norms that conflict in theory and practice. Break the lower, and it’s not sin.

John Jefferson Davis
John and Paul Feinberg

Question 5

Nonconflicting Absolutism

Answer 5

There are many moral norms. Conflict cannot truly occur (it just appears to)

Augustine
John Frame
Charles Hodge