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Fletchers Principles

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Situation ethics was emerged at a time when society and the Church were facing drastic and potential change, J.A.T Robinson and Joseph Fletcher was both commonly associated with this topic. Their theory was a completely different look from the tradition Christian ethics “Christians cannot go on trying to lay down the law”- Fletcher, 1966.

Agape- a midway point between legalism and antinomianism. Situation ethics is mostly teleological apart from its principle of love, because in the end result actions are right or wrong depending on their consequences, and by this it is simply embracing a form of relativism. “If the emotional and spiritual welfare of both parents and children in a particular family can be served by a divorce, then love requires it” – Fletcher. Situation ethics uses principles to illustrate the situation, however Situation Ethics does not direct the action. Fletcher divides these principles into two categories, four working principles (what ethics should enclose) and six fundamental principles (how the ethics is applied).

The four working principles are: Pragmatism, relativism, positivism and personalism. Pragmatism: the course of action should work; Relativism: always reject words like ‘never’; Positivism: love is the most important criteria no matter what; and Personalism: people come first, not the law.
The six fundamental principles are: love decides what should be done; actions are ‘good’ however only if they bring about agape (love and justice are the same) this applies to everyone. Love is teleological, the consequences matter! Love is not ‘liking’ it’s not an emotion and does not expect anything in return. Every moral situation is different. “Christian ethics is not a scheme or codified conduct. It is a purposive effort to relate love to a world of relativies” – Fletcher, Situation Ethics, 1996. Fletcher developed his theory by

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