A Boy Scout is reverent.
That's the 12th point of the Scout Law, emphasizing how important spirituality and religion are in the Scouting program.
And with the annual Scout Sunday observance coming on Feb. 7, Scouting and faith are especially relevant topics.
As an emblem of spiritual endeavors, dozens of awards from different religions recognize a Scout's or Scout leader's devotion to a supreme being. Even amid so much diversity and extreme caution not to promote religion in general, the Boy Scouts have not tapered off in their reverent devotion. As the Boy Scouts of America celebrates its 100th anniversary, reverence remains a solid cornerstone of the movement.
The BSA, through the Programs of Religious Activities — P.R.A.Y. publishing — coordinates the religious emblem awards.
According to Boy's Life magazine, the official publication of Scouting, "A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others."
The Boy Scouts of America has approved these programs and even allows the religious emblems to be worn on the official uniform. The various religious groups administer the programs, and the Boy Scouts of America espouses no particular religion.
The first church to develop a religious scout award was the Roman Catholic Church in 1939 with its Ad Altare Dei (to the altar of God) emblem. The Catholic program is organized into chapters, based on the seven sacraments. The church views the seven sacraments as a primary means for spiritual growth.
"On My Honor" is the LDS Church's religious scout award and is linked to service in the Aaronic Priesthood.
Some churches, like Disciples of Christ, Christian Methodist Episcopal and Church of Christ Scientist, share a common religious emblem for their award in Scouting. Others stand alone.
According to Arthur G. Lipman, vice president for relationships of the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts, one of the common myths locally is that Scouting is only for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He said that notion just won't go away.
"Scouting is for all youth," he said. "We have a broad range of faith-based scouting sponsors in the Great Salt Lake Council including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Christian, Muslim and others."
He said diversity is something the GSL Council is assertively seeking.
In the GSL Scout Council, besides the numerous LDS-sponsored troops, Lipman said there are eight Methodist troops, five Jewish troops and a rapidly increasing Catholic presence. There are also some non-church sponsors of troops.
For the older, Venturing age level, even young women can earn some of the religious awards in various faiths.
All the awards have differing requirements, and Lipman said some are very strict.
Each year the Council's Jewish Committee on Scouting holds a Scout Shabbat service. Many other churches hold individual Scout Sunday services in February, March or April, with some delaying such observances this year because of the Scouting Centennial in February.
On Saturday, March 6, the Most Rev. John C. Wester, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, will bless and award all Catholic Scouts with their hard-earned religious emblems.
Lipman said Bishop Wester is especially committed to Scouting and its importance.
"The whole focus is on the values of Scouting," Lipman said.
He also said that while there are some 60 LDS Spanish-speaking branches in the area, only about one-third have their scouting programs up and running. So there's more expansion yet to occur there.
Lipman agreed that most of the public probably only knows about the awards their own religion offers through Scouting to youth and leaders. But there's a wealth of awards out there — including ones for Muslims, Buddhists and even nondenominational Boy Scouts. Some awards begin at the Cub Scout level.
A Boy Scout accepts a belief in a higher power, but Scouting doesn't define that belief specifically.
During 2009, 28,941 religious Scouting honors were earned nationally (not including the LDS "On My Honor" award, where numbers were not available).
Nationally, the LDS Church sponsors the most Scout troops in the U.S. The Methodist Church is second and the Roman Catholic Church is third.
Lipman said nationally only about 2 percent of Boy Scouts earn the Eagle Scout Award, while a higher percentage — likely 10 percent or more — earn a Scout religious award.
For more information, go to: www.praypub.org or www.gslc-bsa.org or www.scouting.org/scoutsource/media/relationships/ascoutisrevernt.aspx
e-mail: lynn@desnews.com