Situation Ethics

Question 1

Joseph Fletcher

Answer 1

Situation ethics was created in the 1960s. The 60s were defined by radical social movements aimed at overthrowing traditional ways of life which were seen as oppressive. Fletchers approach embodies liberal Christianity in many ways. He rejected the traditional approach to Christian ethics of strict adherence to moral laws. Instead he attempted a reduction of Christian ethics to the overarching theme of Jesus’ ethics: love.

Question 2

Legalism, situation ethics & antinomianism

Answer 2

Fletcher claimed that his situation ethics was a middle ground which avoids the problems while retaining the benefit of each. Legalism cannot take the situation into account, but has clear guidance to follow. Antinomianism takes the situation into account, but leads to moral chaos. Situation ethics takes the situation into account, give people clear guidance and avoids moral chaos. It does this by claiming that love is the one single absolute principle which should be applied to all situations.

Question 3

Legalism:

Answer 3

View that people require fixed rules to follow

Question 4

Antinomianism:

Answer 4

View that there are no rules or laws to follow at all

Question 5

Agape

Answer 5

The importance of Agape in Christianity is drawn from Jesus saying that the ‘greatest commandment’ is to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. Fletcher interprets that as suggesting all other religious rules only have value insofar as they enable Agape. For example, the 10 commandments clearly state that murder is wrong.

Question 6

Pragmatism

Answer 6

It is based on experience rather than theory

Question 7

Relativism

Answer 7

Based on making the absolute laws of Christian ethics relative

Question 8

Positivism

Answer 8

Begins with the belief in the reality & importance of love

Question 9

Personalism

Answer 9

People come above rules ‘Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath’

Question 10

The six propositions

Answer 10

1. Love is the only thing that is intrinsically good
2. Love is the ruling law in ethical decision making & replaces all laws
3. Love & justice are the same — Justice is love that is distributed

Question 11

Conscience

Answer 11

One further aspect of SE that links it to religious theories is conscience. Fletcher thought that the conscience was what enabled you to figure out the requirements of agape in your situation.
He said conscience was a verb not a noun, indicating he disagreed with the traditional view that conscience is an internal moral compass or mental ability to intuitively know what is right or wrong.