The Four Presumtions (working principles)

Question 0

2)Relativism

Answer 0

Situation ethics relativistic
‘The Situationist avoids words like “never”, “perfect”, “always”, “complete” as he avoids the plague, as he avoids “absolutely”’
No fixed rules that must always be obeyed. However, not a free for all
All decisions must be relative to Christian love
Situation Ethics relative to Christian love. Situation Ethics ‘relativises the absolute, it does not absolutise the relative’

Question 1

1) Pragmatism

Answer 1

Practical or success posture

Proposed course of action must work, and must work towards the end, which is love

Question 2

3) Positivism

Answer 2

Religious knowledge/belief can be approached by 1 of 2 ways.
Natural positivism - reason deduces faith from human experience/natural phenomena. Nature provides evidence, reason grasps hold of it.
Theological positivism - faith statements made, people act in reasonable way in light of these statements. Reason not basis for faith, but works within faith.
Situation ethics depends on Christians freely choosing faith that God is love - giving first place to Christian love

Question 3

4) Personalism

Answer 3

Legalist puts law first, situationist puts people first
Asks what to do to help people best: ‘there are no “values” in the sense of inherent goods - value is what happens to something when it happens to be useful to love working for the sake of persons’
Whereas some ethical theories place a lot of weight on rules, situationist much more interested in people
People more sacred than rules