The twin values of personal religious commitment and respect for the religious commitments of others have been the hallmarks of the Boy Scouts of America from its beginning with reference to a Scout's "duty to God."

The original Boy Scout Handbook, issued in 1910, actually had very little to say about religion (and as a percentage of its overall content, this has always remained the case). Its interpretation of the final point of the Scout Law said nothing beyond expressing the two values of commitment and tolerance: "He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion."

John L. Alexander, one of the five men instrumental in founding the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of Lord Baden-Powell's scouting program in England, wrote a chapter entitled "Chivalry" for the first Handbook that included a paragraph on "A Boy Scout's Religion." Alexander wrote:

"The Boy Scouts of America maintain that no boy can grow into the best kind of citizenship without recognizing his obligation to God. . . . The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe, and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings is necessary to the best type of citizenship and is a wholesome thing in the education of the growing boy. . . . The Boy Scouts of America therefore recognize the religious element in the training of a boy, but it is absolutely non-sectarian in its attitude toward that religious training."

Alexander went on to state specific religious training was the responsibility of a Scout's family and faith community and not the work of the Boy Scouts.

When Alexander wrote that the BSA "is absolutely non-sectarian," he meant it even with regard to what is sometimes referred to as the "Judeo-Christian" tradition of Western monotheism. Earnest Thompson Seton, another of the original founders of the BSA, had long promoted a particular understanding of Native American spirituality with an emphasis on the "Great Spirit" as a foundation for ethical conduct in his work with youth. Daniel Carter Beard, another founder, was personally committed to the Swedenborgian theology movement which with its teaching that "there is one God, known by many names," has some similarities to Unitarian-Universalism. As a worldwide movement, Scouting has been practiced by youth of all religious traditions.

But the Boy Scouts of America were influenced by another cultural force during the 1950s. During that period of the "Cold War" when the cultural battle was described as one with "godless communism" and the phrases "under God" and "In God We Trust" were being added to the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance and the face of U.S. coinage respectively, there was a tendency to identify what the U.S. Supreme Court has sometimes called "ceremonial theism" more restrictively with the "Judeo-Christian tradition." Scouting both resisted this narrowing in formal ways (by continuing to list recognitions for Buddhism, Hinduism and other non-Western religions within its Handbook) and was influenced by it in less formal ways as the broader culture re-shaped it understandings of civic duty and citizenship.

Since it remains that many, perhaps a significant majority, of those in Scouting leadership in the early 21st century were either young Scouters or even Scouts themselves during this period, it is perhaps not surprising that those characterizations of a Scout's "duty to God" and responsibilities of "reverence" continue to reverberate. However, the broader cultural influences now are in a quite different direction than they were four decades ago. America is becoming one of the most religiously diverse societies quite literally in the history of the world, even as it remains one of the most religiously committed nations among Western, industrialized countries. Instilling the character values of personal religious devotion and respect and defense of the religious commitments of others are needed now perhaps more than ever.

For a somewhat fuller treatment of these historical issues, click on the "On My Honor" button at the left for an excerpt on this topic from Jay Mechling, On My Honor: Boy Scouts and the Making of American Youth (University of Chicago Press: ©2001 by the University of Chicago), pp. 35-47. Special thanks to Mr. Mechling and University of Chicago Press for making this excerpt available.

Copyright © 2005 Scouting and Religious Diversity
Last modified: 10/10/05