March 16, 2005 Statement from the Unitarian Universalist Association

RELIGION IN LIFE: BOYS

Religion in Life: Boys, fourth edition (1999), by Rev. Cynthia Breen and Rev. Keith Kron, is a program in Unitarian Universalist identity for ages 12-18. It is suitable for youth to use for the UUA Boy Scout emblem award program. The National Council of the Boy Scouts of America does not recognize our Unitarian Universalist Religion in Life emblem. UU congregations celebrate this achievement and award. Some local Boy Scout Councils and troops also celebrate this UU award.

It is a program of study, reflection, and action, and has four purposes:

1. To help Unitarian Universalist young people learn about our faith: our beliefs, our history, our denominational structure, and how we live in the world.
2. To support Unitarian Universalist youth as they live their faith.
3. To provide a program for Unitarian Universalists that can lead to the awarding of the Religion in Life emblem for Boy Scouts and Venturers.
4. To recognize the achievements of youth in Unitarian Universalist congregations.

Religion in Life is a collaboration between the youth participant, an adult mentor, and their Unitarian Universalist congregation. With the mentor's support and guidance, the youth will work through the tasks in this booklet. Upon completing the program, qualified Scouts and Venturers will earn the right to be awarded the Religion in Life emblem from their congregation. Youth and mentors should follow this procedure:

1. Youths interested in participating in this program should ask a minister or religious education director of their congregation to help find a qualified and caring member to serve as mentor. Youths and mentors should obtain the necessary materials from the UUA.
2. The youth, mentor, and religious educator or minister should meet to determine who will review the program at its completion. In addition, the mentor should meet the youth's parents and be available for questions about the program.
3. The program is divided into three parts, each with three sections; each part generally involves reading, research, action, and personal reflection. The mentor and youth should plan at least one meeting for each of the nine sections. As each assignment is completed, youth and mentor should check it off on the Religion in Life covenant form included in the booklet.
4. When all of the requirements have been met, the youth, mentor, and minister or religious educator should meet to review the covenant form; certify that it is complete; authorize the awarding of the Religion in Life emblem; and discuss the celebration to present the award. The youth should guide the format of the celebration.

This program can be adapted to fit the needs and time schedules of individual youth and mentors. Twelve to twenty-four weeks is a reasonable time frame for completion. There is no limit on how long a Scout may take to complete the program, other than his eighteenth birthday.

When you order Religion in Life from the UUA Bookstore, you will receive under separate cover a letter from UUA President William G. Sinkford and two brochures. To complete the Religion in Life program youth and mentors will need copies of the following materials:

• a loose-leaf notebook
• Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide, 1999 edition
• 100 Questions that Non-Members Ask About Unitarian Universalism
• Resource Bibliography
• Youth Pamphlet Assortment (available from the UUA Bookstore). Pamphlets are also available on the UUA web site.
• "When Others (or You) say 'God'"
• "In Support of All People" by Rev. Keith Kron
• Free Subscription to Synapse (available through the Youth Office)

For more information about the conflict between the Boy Scouts of America and the UUA, click here.

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RELIGION IN LIFE: GIRLS (new edition)

Religion in Life: Girls, third edition (2003) by Susan Charles T. Groth, PhD, is a program of reading, thought, discussion and action for Junior, Cadette, and Senior Girl Scouts of the USA who seek the UUA Religion in Life emblem. This program for UU Girl Scouts engages participants in learning more about world religions, particularly Unitarian Universalism. The program for Junior and Cadette Girl Scouts bases its activities around the tenets of the Girl Scout law and the Golden Rule in world religions. The Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts program focuses on the scriptures of major religions and Unitarian Universalism heritage.

The purposes of the Religion in Life: Girls program are:

1. To help Unitarian Universalist Girl Scouts learn more about religion in general and their own in particular: UU history, beliefs, programs, and organization.
2. To guide Unitarian Universalist Girl Scouts in exploring their own beliefs in order to better understand themselves and others.
3. To present ways in which Unitarian Universalist Girl Scouts can put their religious beliefs into practice.

Some general requirements of this program are:

Regular attendance at church school or regular home participation with Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) materials.

Keeping a journal which will include writing assignments as well as a record of personal thoughts about the reading assignments.

At least one year's work from the time of enrollment in this program.

Guidance from a wise and stimulating advisor, whether a minister, a Director of Religious Education (DRE), or a member of the congregation. It will be necessary to meet with the advisor at least once or twice per section of the program.

While the Junior Girls program is suitable for use within the context of Girl Scouts only, the topically oriented Senior program could be used as a Coming of Age or Unitarian Universalist identity program outside of the Girl Scout context. Girl Scouts of the USA encourages denominational award and emblem programs, but take no part in their evaluation or administration. Religion in Life: Girls is a demanding program and takes one year to complete with the assistance of an advisor from a congregation.

Each girl in the program needs her own copy of the Religion in Life: Girls program booklet, available from the UUA Bookstore. Other than the program booklet, no additional texts are required, although pamphlets and books available from the UUA or from a local UU church are occasionally recommended reading. Selected resources are:

• Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide, 1999 edition
• 100 Questions that Non-Members Ask About Unitarian Universalism
• Resource Bibliography
• Youth Pamphlet Assortment (available from the UUA Bookstore). Pamphlets are also available on the UUA web site.
• Free Subscription to Synapse (available through the Youth Office)

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LOVE AND HELP (new edition)

Love and Help (2003) by Jill Bauer is a program in Unitarian Universalist identity for seven- to eleven-year-olds. The workbook format of Love and Help encourages youth to discover their personal beliefs about themselves, family, friendship, and their UU congregation. The UUA assumes that this program will be introduced to a child by a parent or other helping adult within the context of a Unitarian Universalist religious community.

The flexible program was designed to lead toward the UUA Cub Scout Religious Emblem Award, but it can be used by both boys and girls in church school classes. Upon completion of the program, a certificate and an emblem are awarded to each young person, usually in a special recognition ceremony.

The UU Kids Book, by Charlene Brotman, Barbara Marshman, and Ann Fields, is a resource to use with Love and Help. Each child in the Love and Help program needs a copy of these publications to complete and keep as a record of his or her own UU identity treasury. Both are available from the UUA Bookstore. No separate booklet is available or necessary for the advisor.

 

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