Christian Ethics

1. The bible
2. The church
3. God
4. 10 Commandments
5. Conscience

1. Natural Moral Law
2. 10 Commandments

1. Situation ethics

   Annotations:

   • Joseph Fletcher has the idea that you need to relativise the absolute. This all came to him from a cabbie who said "sometimes you have to put your principles aside to do the right thing". This all came from the principles of Jesus and agape - doing the most loving thing.
   • 4 working principles: -Positivism -Pragmatism -Personalism -Relativism
   • 6 fundamental principles -Nothing is intrinsically good except love. -Replace the torah with the principle of love. -Justice is love at work in the community. -Love wills the good for the neighbour. -Only the end (love) justifies the means. -Loves decisions are made in the circumstances of each situation.

Annotations:

• Is x good because God commanded it or does God command x because it is good?

1. Relative
   1. God commands X because it is good.
   2. Strengths
      1. Can be adapted to different situations
      2. If everyone uses relative morality, it becomes absolute.
      3. Explains the differences between cultures.
   3. Weaknesses
      1. The most loving thing is not always clear.
      2. Decisions take a long time.
      3. Consequences are unpredictable.
2. Absolute
   1. X is good because God commands it
      1. Divine command theory
   2. Strengths
      1. Fixed. Everyone knows what they're doing.
      2. Decisions are made quickly.
      3. The majority can agree with it.
   3. Weaknesses
      1. Different situations
      2. Unrealistic for modern society
      3. Cultural relativism: Different rights and wrongs.

1. Jewish Law
   1. Old testament
   2. 10 Commandments
   3. Normally deontological and absolute
2. Jesus
   1. "Love thy neighbour"
      1. Agape
3. St. Paul
   1. Puts Jesus' teachings of love into action.
   2. Relative