Almost all of the major churches and other religious bodies in the United States have programs to recognize Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Explorers and Adult leaders who demonstrate faith, observe their creeds or principles and give service. These religions offer religious emblem programs for Tiger Cubs (T), Cub Scouts (C), Webelos Scouts (W), Boy Scouts (B) or Venturers and Scouts over age 14 (V).
What Do These Religious Emblem Programs Cover? Generally each religious emblem program is a progression of learning, starting in Cub Scouting and ending years later as an older Boy Scout, Venture Scout or Explorer. Each program has specific emblems that are linked with age appropriate requirements. Many start by focusing on the Scout's understanding of God at the Tiger level moving to the Scout's relationship to God at the Cub level. By the time a Scout becomes a Webelos the program materials shift to an emphasis on the Scout and his family's relationship to God. At the Boy Scout level the program focuses on the relationship of the Scout to his life in the community of his faith. And at the final level the program examines how the Scout will apply his or her faith in his or her life. In each case, the program material focuses on similarities between how the Scout sees himself in successively broader relationships and his relationship with God. In addition, each of the programs begins with simple concepts and moves toward more complex understanding through successive level of learning about religious writings, religious figures, religious celebrations, acts of service and worship with each religious emblem in the series offered by a particular religion. As the Scout grows in the Scouting family, he can participate in successive religious emblem programs at each age level that are more and more challenging. However, none of these programs at any level is a prerequisite to starting a program at another level. These religious emblems are presented by religious organizations to Scouts, who work with their religious leader or a counselor through a fairly demanding program of requirements that may take from a few months to a year or more to complete. By completing such a program, a Scout will learn about his relationship to his religious beliefs and grow spiritually. At the same time that Scout will be developing better character. Scouting Encourages Religious Emblems Program Participation Although religious emblems are not Scouting awards, the Boy Scouts of America encourages its members to participates in religious emblem programs and allows its member Scouts to wear these emblems on their uniforms. By providing recognition for activity which demonstrates a Scout's commitment to living his Scout Promise or Oath, other Scouts are encouraged to want to do the same. A Scout or Scouter who receives a religious emblem may wear the medal, medallion award or the appropriate square knot (silver knot on purple for awards earned as a Scout, purple knot on silver for awards earned as a Scouter). Scouting also provides training to adult leaders to familiarize them with the opportunity for Scouts to grow in their own religious convictions through religious emblem programs. Typically, broad introductory religious emblem program training is part of the training available at Cub Scout Leaders' Pow Wows, and Basic Leader Training. Religious emblem program information is also available at Scout Roundtables and Scout Service Centers.
Religious medals and award ribbons are worn only on formal occasions. The universal youth religious award square knot (No. 5014) (Silver knot on purple background) and adult religious award knot (No. 5022) (Purple knot on silver background) may be worn at all times centered on the upper seam above left uniform pocket flap. All Scouts and Scouters who received a religious emblem in their youth may wear the universal youth religious emblem square knot (No. 5014) centered above the left uniform pocket flap, if it is the only knot. Otherwise it may be placed in any of the positions above the left uniform pocket flap for knots. Scouts and Scouters who received the award as a Tiger Cub or Cub Scout should also wear the gold Cub Scout device (No. 5103C) centered on the knot to indicate the award was received as a Cub Scout. Those receiving a religious award as a Webelos Scout should wear the gold Webelos device (No. 5103K) centered on the knot. Similarly Scouts and Scouters who received the award as a Boy Scout should wear the gold Boy Scout device (No. 5103D) centered on the knot. Those who earned the award as an Explorer should wear the gold Explorer device (No.5103G) centered on the knot. If more than one emblem was earned as a youth, only one knot is worn and any combination of the appropriate devices may be worn centered on the knot. |
