Religious emblems programs

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Religious emblems programs also called religious recognition programs are awards set up by some religious organizations for members of various youth organizations.

1 United States (USA)
2 Canada
3 See also
4 Footnotes
5 Further Information
6 References

[edit] United States (USA)

In the USA, there are more than thirty different religious emblems, each representing a different faith. A diverse selection of religious groups participate in the program, including not only well-known groups, such as Baptist and Methodist, but also less-known groups, such as the Moravian and Zoroastrian churches. The religious emblems are "created by the various religious groups to encourage youth to grow stronger in their faith. The religious groups, not the youth organizations, have created the emblem programs themselves. Each religious organization develops and administers its own program."^[1] Many religious groups have separate program for different age levels (e.g., Cubs and Boy Scouts or Cadettes and Brownies) and many though not all also for the different youth organizations.

The youth organizations do not run the programs and youth organization leaders do not guide the youths through the program (unless they also are the youth's religious leader or mentor). The youth organizations can choose to decide whether the emblems of a particular religious program will be worn on the youth organization's uniforms.

Once a youth has completed the program of their religion, they are usually presented with the emblem at a ceremony organized by their religious institution. The emblem is in the form of a medal and is usually only worn on formal occasions.

Many of the religions also have awards for adult members; however, adult members are nominated by others for service to the religion within Scouting. They do not have a formal program to complete.

In the United States many though not all religious organizations with programs contract with the P.R.A.Y. business office to handle the mechanics of order processing. P.R.A.Y. (Programs of Religious Activities with Youth) itself develops and administers the God and Country program aimed at Protestant youth. P.R.A.Y. also promotes the Religious Emblems Programs in general.

[edit] Boy Scouts of America

Main article: Religious emblems programs (Boy Scouts of America)

A variety of religious emblems programs approved by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are designed to encourage youth to learn about their faith and to recognize adults who provide significant service to youth in a religious environment.

Scouts who complete approved programs may also wear the universal religious emblem knot insignia on the Scout uniform at all times. Participation in a program is not required though doing so is one method of completing some requirements for some Scout ranks.

[edit] Girl Scouts of the USA

In the Girl Scouts of the USA participation in a religious emblem program is optional and only a small percentage of Scouts earn them. P.R.A.Y. has a list of religious emblems for Girl Scouts but it is not considered exhaustive.

[edit] Camp Fire USA

In Camp Fire USA participation in a religious emblem program is optional. P.R.A.Y. has a list of religious emblems for Campfire USA members.

[edit] American Heritage Girls

The American Heritage Girls approves of the Protestant God and Country program and the Catholic program.^[1]

[edit] Canada

Scouts Canada and Girl Guides of Canada offer the Religion in Life badge. Different faiths develop their own programs which are approved by Scouts Canada (which also administers the program for Girl Guides of Canada).[2][3]

Each program has multiple age stages and a badge can be earned for each stage with the border color indicating the stage. The emblem on the badge indicates which faith.

Stage 1 - Ages 7-9 - yellow border
Stage 2 - Ages 10-12 - green border
Stage 3 - Ages 13-15 - blue border
Stage 4 - Ages 15 and up - red border
Stage 5 - adult - purple border

Currently recognized programs are

Anglican Church of Canada
Apostolic Church of the Pentecost
Canadian Baptist Ministries
Canadian Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches
Canadian Armed Forces (Protestant)
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Christian Science
Church of the Nazarene
Congregational Christian Church of Canada
Eastern Orthodox Church
Evangelical Church of Canada
Free Methodist Church of Canada
Lutheran Churches of Canada
Moravian Church of Canada
Orthodox Church
Pentecostal Assemblies
Polish National Catholic Church of Canada
Presbyterian Church in Canada
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Roman Catholic Church in Canada
Salvation Army
The Standard Church
United Church of Canada

The above all have the same badge of a circle around a Greek alpha and omega. The following all have different badges.

Bahá’í Faith - nine pointed star
Buddhist Faith - wheel of the law
Canadian Unitarian Council - flaming chalice
Hindu - om
Islam in Canada - Allah in Arabic above a crescent moon and star above Allah in English
Jewish Religion - Menorah
Sikh - Khanda
Zoroastrianism - Fravashi

[edit] See also

Scouting Portal

Religion in Scouting

[edit] Footnotes

^ Religious Emblems Programs FAQ. Boy Scouts of America (2003). Retrieved on 29 March 2006.
^ Bear Rank God Requirements. U.S. Scouting Service Project (2003). Retrieved on 29 March 2006.
^ Michael F. Bowman and James Bryant (2003). Webelos Rank Requirements. U.S. Scouting Service Project. Retrieved on 29 March 2006.
^ Peterson, Robert W. (1984). The Boy Scouts: An American Adventure. American Heritage Publishing. ISBN 0-8281-1173-1.
^ What if my Religious Org. Doesn't Have a Religious Emblem Program?. U.S. Scouting Service Project (1998). Retrieved on 28 May 2006.
^ rec.scouting.issues Commonly asked questions (FAQ 2). Faqs.com. Retrieved on March 10, 2006.
^ UUA/BSA Compromise Crumbles. PlanetOut.com. Retrieved on March 2, 2006.
^ Unitarian Universalist Association/Boy Scouts of America Correspondence & Documentation. Unitarian Universalist Association. Retrieved on March 2, 2006.
^ Buehrens, John (1998-06-11). Letter to the Religious Relationship Committee. Retrieved on 2007-03-03. “Surely the Religious Relationships Committee of the Boy Scouts of America cannot intend to tell a religious group what we may teach with regard to our own religious principles.”
^ P.R.A.Y. Boy Scout Bulletin first quarter 2005. P.R.A.Y.– Programs of Religious Activities with Youth. Retrieved on March 2, 2006.
^ Statement from the Unitarian Universalist Association. Unitarian Universalist Association. Retrieved on March 10, 2006.
^ Religious Emblems Programs available to Members of the Boy Scouts of America. Boy Scouts of America– National Council. Retrieved on March 10, 2006.
^ "Religious Emblem approved for Unitarian Universalist youth". Scouter Forum. Retrieved on April, 2006.

[edit] Further Information

Programs of Religious Activities with Youth. Also known as P.R.A.Y.. The administrator of a set of Protestant religious programs but their business office is also a clearing house on info about the Religious Emblems Programs in the United States in general.