Religious Emblems program

[ScoutNut]

Remember, in order for it to count towards the requirement for the Webelos Rank award, it should be done in their Webelos year, not Bear. The God & Family is targeted for grades 4-5 & the Parvuli Dei for grades 3-4.

 

Although the religious programs do take some time, there is really no need to start right now. If you are shooting for a February, 2007, Scout Sunday end date, starting in September gives you plenty of time.

 

BTW - What about your 2nd grade Wolf dens? Do they earn their Religious Emblems also?

 

 

[clydesdale115]

Thanks ScoutNut - We're thinking about all this for when we crossover to Webelos at the end of May. We are shooting for a March '07 target for our Webelos Badge (our Pack does not present awards at the Blue and Gold - don't ask). So you are right, we do have plenty of time, especially making this a SUPPLEMENTAL activity, beyond our regular den meetings. It would mean maybe one "extra" get-together per month - we could have it all completed by Christmas or soon thereafter. Our Scout working on Parvuli Dei would also have plenty of time. Scout Sunday would be IDEAL to present this :-)

 

Funny you mention the Wolves. Boys in our Wolf den just earned their Religious Emblem (quite unceremoniously presented at the April Pack meeting). Is it your understanding (as it is mine) that they will need to earn this "again" as a Webelos - or the other optional requirements - for it to count toward their Web Badge? (Of course, they did God and Me, not God and Family)

 

BTW, I just feel so much BETTER about all this!

clydesdale115

[John-in-KC]

OK, we need to differentiate between REQUIREMENTS and RECOGNITION.

 

The requirements of the Cub Scout program are linear in nature, save for Bobcat. You do

Tiger work in Tiger year (generally age 7),

Wolf work in wolf year (generally age 8)

Bear work in Bear year (generally age 9)

Webelos badge work in Web 1 year (generally age 10)

Arrow of light as the youth approaches 11 and moves to boy scouting.

 

Once a boy passes the age marker, he doesn't double back to earn the previous ranks and awards along the way. He enters where he is and goes forward.

 

So... what was done in Wolf year doesn't get to be counted to a Webelo requirement.

 

RECOGNITION, (in other words, the purple knot) is a different story. Each granting of a qualifying Religious Award authorizes the Scout to wear the purple-backed, silver threaded religious award knot. He gets to wear that ALL HIS SCOUTING LIFE ... literally, to the grave if he gives a lifetime to adult volunteer service. THAT SAID, we only wear ONE purple knot ... I believe the Uniform Guide has guidance on the little metallic devices that can be worn on the knot which deal with multiple religious awards.

 

HTH

 

His blessings to you(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[fgoodwin]

I can't point to a specific reference, but I believe the Webelos requirements state that a religious emblem earned as a Cub Scout (i.e., before becoming a Webelos) cannot count towards the Webelos rank.

 

Not to be confused with earning the knot -- the knot is awarded only once. If the religious medal is earned multiple times (e.g., as a Cub, Webelos, Boy Scout and Venturer), the boy is awarded separate "devices" to wear on the one knot.

[Cubmaster Randy]

The Webelos badge requirment 8 in the book states that you need to do "d" or "e". "d" is earning the religious award and "e" is doing other items (listed below)It also states that if you earned your faith's religious emblem earlier in Cub Scouting, and your faith does not have a Webelos religious emblem, you must complete requirement 8e.

 

 

 

Do two of these:

Attend the mosque, church, synagogue, temple, or other religious organization of your choice, talk with your religious leader about your beliefs. Tell your family and your Webelos den leader what you learned.

Discuss with your family and Webelos den leader how your religious beliefs fit in with the Scout Oath and Scout Law, and what character-building traits your religious beliefs have in common with the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

With your religious leader, discuss and make a plan to do two things you think will help you draw nearer to God. Do these things for a month.

For at least a month, pray or meditate reverently each day as taught by your family, and by your church, temple, mosque, synagogue, or religious group.

Under the direction of your religious leader, do an act of service for someone else. Talk about your service with your family and Webelos den leader. Tell them how it made you feel.

List at least two ways you believe you have lived according to your religious beliefs

[ScoutNut]

Clydesdale115 - Glad to hear your Wolf Den earned their Religious Emblems this year! Good for them!! Sorry to hear the award was not presented by their own religious orgs.

 

Getting finished with the emblem workbooks around Christmas break is a good timeline. That is what we usually shoot for also. That gives us time to get the boys in to see the pastor for their final review & signoff & to get the medals.

 

Yes, the Wolf's will have to earn the Webelos level emblem when they reach that point. It is not really earning it "again" as the emblems for the different levels are all completely different. They focus on different things and get more in-depth as the boys get older. If the boys are interested when they get into Boy Scouts, there are even emblems they can earn as middle/high school age scouts.

 

[wahoonfp]

As someone who has spent a lot of this year working as a counselor for Boy Scouts in the Catholic Ad Altare Dei program, and also in the past with my four sons on the Catholic Cub Scout awards, Light of Christ, and Parvuli Dei, a few observations.

 

I admire that you're trying to work with your boys on this. I've encouraged my den (I'm a Bear DL) to try to work on these in their faith--other than my sons, none have done so, despite seeing a very nice presentation of the religious emblem knots at a pack meeting (that I thought would have gotten some kids moving on it.)

 

The Cub Scout awards for Catholics are very clear in that they want it to be done as a family, not as a den. The Boy Scout award, on the other hand, is done as a group--we had 9 scouts from our parish from 5 different troops go through it.

 

I will admit I know nothing about details of the Protestant programs. But as my group moves up to Webelos, I will work harder to encourage it--we have three Catholics, one Protestant, and one of the Jewish faith in our den.

 

I like your final solution--encourage it strongly and give the families the info they need to get started. It is a great program that has really deepened my sons' understanding of "A Scout is Reverent." Go for it, and good luck!

 

 

[fgoodwin]

Here is an example of what can go horribly wrong when a religious emblems program is run within a unit:

 

Wiccan Scout Kicked Out of Troop

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=131793

 

Hindsight being 20/20, the troop in the article did many things wrong, perhaps beginning with a well-intended idea to run the God & Country within the troop, given that they had boys of many different faiths.

[clydesdale115]

fgoodwin - I agree with you that we probably all go into this with the best of intentions. In our case, I guess we were thinking the boys would respond positively to the idea of doing it as a group.

 

Interestingly, I introduced the program Monday night to the parents, saying we could meet one night a month (NOT a den meeting night)and have it finished by Christmas or so, with the CO Pastor having final check-off. I had the workbooks for "God and Family" and "Parvuli Dei" available. The parent of the Catholic boy was understandably not interested in the Protestant class - they'll look into Parvuli Dei on their own. But I was surprised that the reaction from the rest of the gang was fairly lukewarm. I had only 1 Scout (besides my son :-) commit to beginning the program with us. Another did say they will see if it is being offered at their home church; o/w they will join our class. No one else even mentioned being a part. Guess they will opt for the other requirement for #8 (e). We're still going to schedule our classes - our goal is to make the program available.

clyde