Whether situation ethics truly represents the ethics of Jesus Flashcards
What strength of Fletcher’s situation ethics is highlighted in the argument?
Strength
The strength highlighted is its alignment with the approach to ethics taken by Jesus, who overturned and allowed the breaking of rules and emphasized the greatest commandment to love one’s neighbors as oneself.
How does Fletcher’s situation ethics align with Jesus’s approach to ethics?
Strength
Fletcher’s situation ethics aligns with Jesus’s approach by considering love as the greatest commandment, implying that it takes precedence over other rules, which may need to be broken for the sake of love.
What example from Jesus’s teachings supports Fletcher’s interpretation?
Strength
Jesus’s teachings, such as overturning rules like “an eye for an eye” and emphasizing love as the greatest commandment, support Fletcher’s interpretation that love should take precedence over other rules in ethical decision-making.
What weakness of Fletcher’s situation ethics is highlighted in the argument?
Weakness
The argument points out that reducing Christian ethics to only one of Jesus’s commands, such as love, disregards other commands given by Jesus and undermines his authority as a moral source.
Who are the critics of Fletcher’s situation ethics mentioned in the argument?
Weakness
The critics mentioned are Richard Mouw and Pope Pius XII, who argue that reducing Christian ethics to one command contradicts Jesus’s teachings and undermines his moral authority.
What scriptural references are used to critique Fletcher’s situation ethics?
Weakness
Scriptural references from Matthew 19:17 and John 14:15 are cited to argue that Jesus emphasized the importance of following all commandments, not just one, as Fletcher suggests with his focus on love.
What criticism of Mouw and Pius XII’s arguments is presented in the defense of situation ethics?
Final judgement defending situation ethics:
The defense argues that Mouw and Pius XII’s arguments beg the question by assuming the validity of a legalistic approach to ethics, which Fletcher’s situation ethics challenges.
How does the defense respond to the argument that following one of Jesus’ commands while disregarding others is incoherent?
Final judgement defending situation ethics:
The defense contends that Fletcher’s point is not to disregard rules and commandments but to reject the insistence on a legalistic approach, as Jesus himself demonstrated a progressive and situationist approach to ethical commands.
What does the defense suggest is necessary for a full appreciation of Jesus’ ethics?
Final judgement defending situation ethics:
The defense suggests that a full appreciation of Jesus’ ethics involves recognizing both legalism and situationism, as Jesus demonstrated a flexible approach to ethical commands.
What critique of situation ethics is highlighted in the argument?
Final judgement critiquing situation ethics:
The argument suggests that if agape is the only commandment that ultimately matters, then the existence of other commandments becomes redundant and raises questions about their necessity.
How does the argument challenge the idea of agape being the greatest commandment?
Final judgement critiquing situation ethics:
The argument proposes that calling agape the ‘greatest’ commandment may imply its relevance to the most situations rather than its superiority over other commandments.
