Exploring faith traditions that transcend political, social, and economic differences is a cornerstone of the Scouting program. One of the key tenets of Scouting is duty to God. Faith breeds hope, optimism, compassion, and a belief in a better tomorrow.

We live in a great country where we have many wonderful freedoms. One of the most important is freedom of religion, which allows us to worship in whatever manner we choose.

The Boy Scouts of America is much the same. While we are not a religious organization, religion and faith traditions play vital roles in the Scouting program. Since our inception in the United States in 1910, many religious organizations have been supportive of our movement and mission. That mission is to provide children and youth with fundamental values that prepare them for life.

One of the most important pillars of Scouting is our recognition of “duty to God.” Both literally and figuratively we state, “On my honor I will do my duty to God and my country,” and we mean it. This statement is exemplified everyday by the way Scouts and Scout leaders act with one another and with their fellow man.

In Scouting, we believe that a child cannot reach his or her fullest potential without being grounded in spirituality or faith traditions. We do not struggle to define religion for the youth in our program but rather leave that to their parents and religious leaders. Whether they are Judeo-Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, protestant, Catholic, Mormon, or American Indian, we believe that in order for youth to reach their fullest potential some religious belief or set of ethics must be present in their lives.

While many churches and religious organizations are experiencing little to no growth, parents, according to surveys, are looking more than ever for help to pass their beliefs and faith traditions on to their children. But they are having difficulty finding partners in this endeavor.

Scouting has the focus that parents, and mentors, are searching for. Whether it is through Scout Sunday, Scout Sabbath, our duty to God award, our religious emblems program, or religious groups or churches as chartered organizations, there are a number of ways Scouting helps youth build their own faith traditions.

It is no surprise that churches, synagogues, and mosques are among our strongest supporters. In fact, more than half of Scouting troops and packs are sponsored by religious organizations, which serve as a testament to our duty to God. Since our founding, the Boy Scouts of America has teamed and worked with religious organizations from all faiths to provide youth with the character-building program Scouting offers.

Exploring faith traditions that transcend political, social, and economic differences is a cornerstone of the Scouting program. Duty to God is a key tenet of the Scouting program because faith breeds hope, optimism, compassion, and a belief in a better tomorrow—something we desire for all youth.

At an early age, Scouting encourages each youth to begin a spiritual journey through the practice of his or her own faith tradition. We support those values most major religions feel help build strong character and promote devotion to faith.

The Boy Scouts of America looks forward to a millennium of helping adults and youth foster their faith traditions and build stronger character while camping, cooking, and canoeing.