Religious Emblems

A short while back Kevin posed a question about wearing religious emblems
and the manner in which they are presented. I want to reinforce the
helpful comments of the many folks who answered.

The religious emblems that may be worn on a Scout uniform in BSA are not
Scouting awards and not subject to review or approval by a unit leader.

These awards are normally developed by National Scouting Committees or
organizations in consultation with their respective religious
organizations. For example, the National Jewish Committee on Scouting
recently helped develop the Etz Chaim for older Boy Scouts and Explorers.
Similarly the National Catholic Committee on Scouting was responsible for
the fairly recent addition of the Light of Christ emblem. BSA's office
reviewed these programs and approved them as consistent with BSA aims.
BSA then promotes these religious emblem programs in its literature, in
training; e.g. Philmont, and in the dissemination of information. This,
however, should not be confused with administering these programs.

Religious emblem programs are administered by religious organizations
separately from BSA's advancement program. For this reason is highly
appropriate for the religious advisor; e.g. Rabi, Pastor, Priest, etc.,
to present the emblem in a religious setting with the Scout's religous
community present and invited Scouts from his unit.

If the Pack would like to recognize the Scout's accomplishment it can do
so by presenting the universal religious emblems square knot, but it
should do so in a ceremony that is neutral in flavor in order to
encourage Scouts of all faiths to want to earn their respective religous
emblems.

You may wish to use a ceremony similar to the following (from Bowman and
Bryant, A Scout's Duty to God and Country, 4th ed. Copyright 1996)

Ladies, Gentlemen, Scout Leaders and Scouts, we have just concluded our
Pack's awards ceremony where we have honored those Scouts who have
demonstrated achievement by earning Scouting awards. Tonight, we also
want to recognize a Scout who has demonstrated his commitment to the Cub
Scout Promise and have a very special presentation to make.

Dim lights and light a candle in front of a large replica of the
religious emblem square knot (can be made with purple felt and rope
painted silver).

Cub Scout ___________ please escort your parents to the front of the room
and then turn to face the pack.

We are very proud of ___________. For the past ___ months he has worked
with both his family and his religious advisor to learn more about his
religious faith and his duty to God. After much hard work and personal
growth, he has received the right to wear the religious emblem of his
faith on his Scout uniform and was presented with a medal by his
religious advisor ___ weeks ago. ___________, like all Scouts who have
received a religious award, he may now wear Scouting's universal
religious award square knot on his Scout uniform and may continue to wear
it as a Boy Scout, Explorer or Adult later in his life.

We now take great pleasure in presenting the religious emblem square knot
to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. ___________ in recognition of the role they
have and will continue to play in his religious growth. Mr. and Mrs.
___________, will you present your son with the religious emblem square knot?

___________, we know you will wear this square knot centered over your
left pocket with pride. Congratulations on your accomplishment. You
have lived the Cub Scout promise well. Please escort your parents back
to their seats.

Almost every religious body in the United States has a religious emblems
program open to Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H and Campfire
Incorporated. We encourage all Scouts to consider participating in this
program. If any other Scouts in this Pack are interested in working
toward the religious award of their own faith, please see
___________________ (Awards Chairman) at the end of this meeting. He/she
has information on the emblems and will make it available to you.

SCOUTERS PLEASE NOTE:

You will notice that this ceremony did not mention what the Cub Scout's
religion was or the name of the church, temple, synagogue, mosque or
other religious organization where the medal was presented and only
referred to the universal religious emblem square knot. There are three
very good reasons for using a non-denominational ceremony:

1) This method avoids creating a situation where another Scout may
believe he has to belong to a particular religion (and may even think he
should join another faith) just to participate in Scouting;

2) This method encourages other Scouts to consider earning the
religious emblem of their own faith, so they can get the same award (the
knot) as Jimmy; and

3) This method allows a Scout leader to give the same level of
praise to each Scout earning an emblem using the same ceremonial props.
The leader doesn't have to know a lot about each religion, doesn't have
to create new props, and doesn't have to worry that any Scout might think
a certain religion is favored.

Speaking only for myself in the Scouting Spirit, Michael F. Bowman
Dep.Dist.Commissioner-Training, G.W.Dist., NCAC, BSA (Virginia)
U. S. Scouting Service Project FTP Site Administrator (PC Area)
ftp1 or ftp2.scouter.com/usscouts E-mail: mfbowman@capaccess.org

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