A volunteer's perspective on a Scout's "Duty to God"

1. A BOY SCOUT’S
“DUTY TO GOD”
Michael Tullier

2. A Scout’s ‘Duty to God’
Promise: “…duty to God”
Oath: “…duty to God…”
Code: “…trust in God…”
A SCOUT IS REVERENT
Oath: “…duty to God…”
Law: “A Scout is reverent.”

3. Baden-Powell on ‘reverence’
A SCOUT IS REVERENT
Reverence to God and reverence for
one’s neighbor and reverence for oneself as a
servant of God is the basis for every form of
religion. The method of expression of
reverence to God varies with every sect and
denomination. What sect or denomination a boy
belongs to depends, as a rule, on his parents’
wishes. It is they who decide. It is our
business to respect their wishes and to
second their efforts to inculcate
reverence, whatever form of religion
the boy professes.

4. BSA’s outlook on ‘reverence’
BSA’s Declaration of Religious
Principles:
A SCOUT IS REVERENT
 doesn’t define what constitutes
“a belief in God”
 doesn’t define what constitutes
“the practice of religion”
 doesn’t require religious group membership
 respects each individual’s constitutional
freedom of worship
 recognizes religious standards are upheld by
the religious group/faith, not by Scouting

5. Scouting’s religious diversity
places of worship
 churches, synagogues, mosques,
temples
 priest, pastor, minister, rabbi,
sheikh, guru, monk
worship/prayer obligations
 Saturday, Sunday, daily
restrictions
 dietary, labor, scheduling,
attire
A SCOUT IS REVERENT
clergy

6. A unit’s “Duty to God’ program
outcomes
 greater sense of “unit community”
 leadership development for Scouts/leaders
A SCOUT IS REVERENT
spiritual element in unit activities
spiritual growth of members
religious emblems promotion
participation in religious observances
memorializing a passing Scout/leader
pastoral care
conflict resolution

7. No man is much good
and obeys his laws. So every
Scout should have a
religion.
Robert Baden-Powell
Scouting for Boys, 1908
A SCOUT IS REVERENT
unless he believes in God