"The 12th point of the Scout Law is reverent.  The BSA approved religious emblem program fosters and enhances a Scout's faith journey."

 Religious Emblem Program Overview            [Protestant | Catholic]

The Scouting programs emphasize responsibility to God and reverence as essential aspects in developing good citizens. With Scouts and leaders coming from a variety of church backgrounds, there is opportunity to learn real appreciation for each person’s expression of faith in many cooperative experiences. The primary purpose of the BSA approved religious emblem programs is to provide an opportunity to foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each youth participating in the programs. Emphasis is placed on faith development within the young person. These programs afford unique study experiences that help relate the Christian, and other, faiths to the life of the Scout.

The religious emblems programs do not, or should not, replace the parish religious education programs. Therefore, they also complement the youth ministry programs of the parish or other church-related organizations. Scouting is foremost a ministry to youth. It provides an opportunity for adult leaders to share their insights and gifts with the youth of the parish and provides occasions for growth that often a young person cannot attain on their own. The youth religious emblems programs are not merely awards for completing a set of requirements. They are actually recognition of one’s faith growth and how the recipients live their respective faith.

For more information, please contact Troop 374’s religious emblem coordinators:
Ray Graskemper at 816-781-6581, Mike O’Neil at 816-436-4804, or Mike Pilch at 816-781-8887.

Boy Scouts of America Protestant Religious Emblem Program    [back to top]

God and Country is the religious recognition program for Protestant churches. The following is a partial listing of the denominations that use the God and Country series: African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Assembly of God, Baptist churches, Church of God, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lutheran churches, Nazarene, Pentecostal, Presbyterian churches, Reformed churches, United Church of Christ, and United Methodist churches.

God and Church (Grades 6 – 8)

Purpose
The God and Church program will lead young people on a journey. It will be a faith journey with three parts: meeting Jesus, worshiping God, and witnessing and ministering for Christ. Participants will create either a video or a photo album to share what they have learned on their faith journeys. Young people will have the opportunity to work with their pastor or other Christian adult as they study the church's structures and objectives and participate in service projects that will give them a better understanding of the mission of the church.

To strengthen young people’s relationship with Christ
To challenge young people to learn about and participate in the worship and ministry of the church
To have young people make a plan for daily Bible reading and memorize a creed or statement of belief or passage of scripture
To provide the opportunity for young people to experience the joy of serving others

God and Life (Grades 9 – 12)

Purpose
Students in the God and Life program will seek to understand their call to a life of discipleship. The God and Life curriculum focuses on the life of the Apostle Paul as recorded in Acts 9:1-31. This is a brief account that describes how Paul encountered Christ and was changed forever. Five chronological "events" out of this story will be highlighted and used as the focus for the five different sections in this program.

This program provides opportunities for young people to:
Strengthen their relationship with Christ
Be open to God’s calling in their lives
Make a plan for daily Bible reading
Experience the joy of serving others
Write a statement of commitment

Adult Mentor Program
Parents have the option of enrolling in the God and Church and God and Life Adult Mentor Program. In this program, the parent is an active learning participant alongside the child. The parent would have lessons and projects to complete in the Mentor Workbook just like the child, and then both parent and child would work on the student curriculum together. The mentor program is designed to provide the adult with additional opportunities to model his or her Christian faith.

 
 Other resources:  National Protestant Scouting Program: http://www.praypub.org 

Boy Scouts of America Catholic Religious Emblem Program     [back to top]

Ad Altare Dei (Grades 7 – 8 or 13 and 14 years old)

Purpose
The purpose of the Ad Altare Dei (to the Altar of God) program is to help Catholic Boy Scouts of the Roman Rite develop a fully Christian way of life in the faith community. The program is organized in chapters based on the seven Sacraments. The seven Sacraments are a primary means toward spiritual growth.

Eligibility
Before work on the workbook begins, the applicant, parent, counselor, troop leader, and pastor must sign the approval form.
A Boy Scout of the Catholic faith.
The content is designed for 13 and 14 year olds.
Older Boy Scouts may also work on the program.
Active member of the Troop for six months.
Completed sixth grade before starting the program.


Pope Pius XII (Grades 9 – 12 or 15 through 17 years old)

Purpose
The Pope Pius XII program is Catholic Scouting’s church-related ministries and vocation program. The program deals with different life choices (single, married, religious, ordained), occupations, and ministries in the church as calls from God. An integral part of the program is youth lead interviews and an investigation of a controversial issue facing the church or society. A retreat experience, ideally centered on the Pius XII program itself, or a day of recollection, and a ministries service project are required. The ideal group size is 4-12, but the course may be run with smaller groups. The candidates run the program with the adult serving as a moderator.

The program includes youth led discussions on current issues facing the church and society.

Eligibility
A Boy Scout of America of the Catholic faith.
Has started ninth grade.
Designed for age 15-16 year old, but all registered Venturers (male or female before their 21st birthday) and all registered Boy Scouts (in high school, before their 18th birthday) are eligible.


Other resources:

National Catholic Committee on Scouting: http://www.nccs-bsa.org

Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Committee on Scouting: http://www.ccscf.org