• Adult leaders
• Youth members and their families

(The presentation manuscript includes instructions indicating which sections are appropriate for certain audiences.) The complete presentation starts with an explanation of WHY Scouting should promote religious emblems, outlines the steps that a youth member would take to participate in these programs, and concludes by emphasizing the leader’s role in passing this information on to every member in the unit. When making presentations to adult leaders, it is not enough to explain the religious emblems programs; you must distribute the Interfaith Quick Reference Chart and explain the importance of the leader’s role in providing this information to the young people and their families.

The presentation is available in two different formats: full script and outline format (RED Team members should choose the format most comfortable for them). Handouts and other materials that are mentioned in the presentation may be found in the appendix. The primary resource needed for a RED Team presentation is the A Scout Is Reverent poster, No. 5-206C, available from your local Council Service Center. This poster includes pictures of all the religious emblems available for youth and adults. It helps leaders understand the scope of the religious emblems programs and connects these programs to the Boy Scout Law. The reverse side of the poster includes a Quick Reference Chart that tells how to obtain the booklets for each specific faith group. It lists the names, addresses, phone numbers, and Web pages of all the religious emblems programs recognized by BSA. A black and white 8 ˝ x 11 reproducible handout of this chart is provided in the appendix. To ensure the success of your presentation, please take the time to fill out the worksheet/checklist also found in the appendix.

RED Teams may have the opportunity to set up displays at different council or district events. Having a presence at these events and being a visible part of Scouting is an important function of the RED Team, even without a formal “presentation.” Some of the materials contained in the appendix (especially the Interfaith Quick Reference Chart and the Frequently Asked Questions brochure) may be appropriate to have in your display as handouts. Permission is granted to duplicate any of the materials found in the appendix. 


RED Team Presentation Script

Thank you for allowing us to speak at your meeting. Helping me is _______________________, and I am ________________________.

We represent the _______________District Religious Emblems Display Team. Or the “RED Team” for short. We believe that all Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts/Venturers should have the opportunity to earn the religious emblem of their own faith, and we are here to talk about these programs.

Unit Presentations - add the following section:
We would like to ask all the Cub Scouts (or Boy Scouts or Venturers) to stand and slowly repeat the Cub Scout Promise (or Boy Scout Oath and Law or Venturing Oath). Parents, please listen very carefully to what they are saying.

Cub Scout Promise: “I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my country, to help other people, and to obey the Law of the Pack.” 

Now that you have heard the promise, we want you to ask yourself this question: What have you done to show your duty to God?

Boy Scout Oath: “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” 

Boy Scout Law: “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.”

Now that you have heard the Scout Oath and Law, we want you to ask yourself these questions: What have you done to show your duty to God? How have you shown that you are “reverent” as stated in the 12th point of the Scout Law?

Venturing Oath: “As a Venturer, I promise to help strengthen America, to be faithful in my religious duties, to help others, and to seek truth, fairness, and adventure in our world.”

We believe that one way you can show your duty to God is to proudly wear the religious emblem you have earned.

Our role today is to give you and your family information so that you may decide whether to participate in the religious emblems program of your faith. We provide information, not religious instruction. Scouting recognizes that religious instruction is the responsibility of parents and religious leaders. But parents first have to know that these programs exist.


[The following  paragraph is for district presentations only] 

Our role today is to provide information that you can pass on to your unit members and their families so that they may decide whether or not to participate in the religious emblems program of their faith. We provide information, not religious instruction. Scouting recognizes that religious instruction is the responsibility of parents and religious leaders. But parents first have to know that these programs exist. And as unit leaders, you are critical in getting information about religious emblems to your members and their families.

What exactly are “religious emblems programs”? They are programs that have been created by the various religious organizations/committees, not by the Boy Scouts of America. These programs encourage members to become more active in their own faith groups, and they encourage spiritual development by providing specific religious instruction. These programs offer emblems that are approved for wear on the official uniform of the Boy Scouts of America.