Situation Ethics
Fletcher's Three Approaches
Fletcher divided moral thinking into three types:
Legalistic - based on fixed laws
Antinomian - having no laws at all
Situational - looking at the context of the moral problem and adopting the law of doing the most loving thing in that situation
Fletcher thought that the third approach of situational provided the best middle path between legalism and antinomianism.
Fletcher was influenced by other theologians such as Barth, Bonhoeffer and Bultmann, who thought that Christian ethics should not depend too heavily on trying to apply biblical laws directly to modern situations.
Agape Love
Fletcher thought that agape love should be at the centre of ethics, Agape is understood as Christian love which is unconditional and reflects the love of God.
Agape demands that people should love their neighbours and also their enemies.
Agape love is self-sacrificing, not self-interested.
Fletcher thought that the 'law of love' should guide moral decision-making. People should aim to do the most loving thing, and if the consequences of their actions produce the most loving situation then they are doing the right thing.
Fletcher's Six Propositions
The only thing that is intrinsically good is agapeic love. Other things are depending on whether they produce loving results
Love is the ruling norm of Christian ethics, Fletcher gave examples of rules broken by Jesus when it was necessary for bringing about loving results.
Justice is love disturbed. Justice is done when people act with love in a rational manner for the benefit of the community.
Love does not depend on emotional likes and dislikes, but is an act of will, a deliberately chosen attitude.
Love should be the goal of a moral action, and if it is, then the means of getting to that goal are not important.
Love should be considered in the context of each situation as it arises, 'situationally not prescriptively'. Rules should not be made without the context of the moral situation being a serious consideration.
The Four Working Principles
Pragmatism - this is about practicality in the real world. Rather than following the abstract principles of a philosophy, the pragmatist looks for something which will work in the practical circumstances.
Relativism - rules are not to be seen as fixed and absolute but can be changed according to the situation
Personalism - people matter mare than laws. The needs of people should be considered when moral actions are taken
Conscience - conscience is not seen as a reliable set of internal rules but as activity, the use of reason in making loving moral judgements.