Do Now!
Look at your partner’s homework.
Using the green pen, peer assess their work
1
First relevant point (evidence/example) (P.E)
2
First point explained & linked back to question (E.L)
3
Second relevant point (evidence/example) (P.E)
4
Second point explained & linked back to question (E.L)
5
Third relevant point (evidence/example) (P.E)
6
Third point explained & linked back to question (E.L)
7
Fourth relevant point (evidence/example) (P.E)
8
Fourth point explained & linked back to question (E.L)
Christians and Situation Ethics
L.O:
• Explain what situation ethics means and why some
Christians use it when making moral decisions
• Explain the principle of agape
Starter:
Who influences how we act?
EXT: what would Christians say?
How do Christians make moral
decisions?
Starter
Famous Christians
Conscience
10 commandments
How do Christians make moral
decisions?
The Christian
Community
Church Guidance
Jesus
Prayer
H/W: part b
• Do you think love is always the best thing in
deciding how to act?
(4 marks)
Why Christians might use their
conscience to make moral decisions?
• Christianity teaches that
all humans have a conscience
which distinguishes between right
and wrong.
• St Paul and St Thomas Aquinas taught
that Christians should always follow their
conscience.
• Some Christians believe that
Christians should follow their
conscience over the authority of the
Church and Bible.
Conscience: an inner feeling of the rightness
or wrongness of an action
Exam Question: part b
• Do you think that your conscience is the best
guide for deciding what is right and wrong?
(4 marks)
• Peer assess and improve
– One reason
– Developed
– Second reason
– Developed
Situation Ethics
“Sometimes you’ve just gotta put your principles
to one side and do the right thing”.
What do you think this means?
Key word:
Situation Ethics: ‘The idea that people should base
moral decisions on what is the most loving thing
to do.’
Independent Work
Read pages 10-11
1) Summarise Joseph Fletcher’s approach to making moral
decisions.
2) Choose one of the verses from the New Testament. Copy it
and explain what it means in your own words.
3) Define agape love in your own words.
4) What is the Christian ‘Golden Rule’ and how does it relate
to Situation Ethics?
Extension: Consider the question in the Activities box on p.11
(Activity 2). Did Jesus go against the law or did he teach it?
Situation Ethics
• Christian should only obey the rules in the
bible if that teaching results in the most loving
thing to do
“My commandment is this: love each other as I
have loved you” (John 15:12)
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man
lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)
Agape love: Christian love
Situation Ethics
Fletcher believed the primary motivation should be love for the individual, and
recognition that the most loving way out of a situation should be the ultimate motive.
“In resolving any situation the primary motive must be love.”
Task: Look at the moral situations on the following pages and answer the following
questions for each one:
1) What do you think the Christian moral rule would be?
2) What do you think Fletcher’s solution would be in this situation?
3) What do you think is the best solution to this situation?
Situation Ethics
During WWII if a woman prisoner in Russia was
found to be pregnant she would be released to
return to her family. Should a woman prisoner
of war decide to sleep with a Russian guard in
order to become pregnant so that she can be
released and return to her husband and family?
Situation Ethics
A German doctor is asked to carry out 3000
abortions on Jewish women because if they are
found to be pregnant they would automatically
be killed. Is he justified in killing the babies to
save the women?
Situation Ethics
A female spy is asked to trade sexual favours
with a foreign national in order to gain military
intelligence about the manoeuvres of an
invading army. Is she justified in doing so?
Situation Ethics
A ship’s captain orders a number of male
passengers to be thrown from an overloaded
lifeboat to prevent it from sinking and killing
everyone on board. Is he right to do so?
Situation Ethics
A man in the US has a choice; take an expensive
series of medication, financially crippling his
family but prolonging his own life; or refuse the
medication, thus cutting short his own life but
saving his family from the financial burden of
medical bills. What should he do?
Strengths and Weaknesses of only
using Situation ethics
Strengths
Weaknesses
1. Each situation can be justified
1. May cause a religious person to
commit sin
2. It is based on a moral decision and can
save lives
2. May not always be the best for the
future
3. Lesser of two evils
3. Not easy to apply in everyday cases
where there are rules
Reflection pyramid
Question you have
about the lesson
Things you
have been
reminded of
today
Things you
have learnt
today