The New Morality and the Religious Communities

Abstract

The new morality is both a behavioral phenom enon and an articulation of a contemporary ethic. Behaviorally speaking, the new morality is a rejection of more traditional models of the moral life and a strong endorsement of new modes. As such, it exhibits elements common to any ethic: adherence to and advocacy of its values and rejection and denial of others. Proponents of the new morality as an ethic, on the other hand, not only have interpreted it to be a repudi ation of legalism, but have also considered it to be an ethic beyond objective obligation. By defining new morality pri marily in the categories of love, they have sought to relieve this "new" morality of all structured constraints. Although it is true that the new morality is more relaxed about older notions of right and wrong, it would be a serious mistake to assume, as have situational ethicists, that practical ethics, as expressed in the new morality, has eliminated the place and function of obli gation. Unfortunately, the debate in the churches over the new morality has misconstrued the rejection of accepted models of Christian behavior as the repudiation of all normative ethics. The serious task remaining is to find new and adequate expres sion for modern sensibilities within the context of Christian love.