How the Religious Emblem program and the new Cub Scout Duty to God Adventures work together was discussed last night at Roundtable during the Commissioners' breakout session.
The question being asked was: "If a boy earns the Religious Emblem for his faith does that automatically fulfill the requirements for the Bear, Webelos and Arrow of Light Duty to God Adventures?" In a nutshell, the answer is: No. It only fulfills the Duty to God Adventure for the year in which it is earned.
If the boy earns their faith's Religious Emblem as a Bear then it fulfills the Bear Fellowship and Duty to God Adventure. If the boy earns it as a Webelos he can choose to either have it fulfill the requirements for his Duty to God and You (Webelos) Adventure or his Duty to God in Action (Arrow of Light) Adventure. Once the Religious Emblem has been earned a boy must do the alternate requirements to earn subsequent Duty to God Adventures.
Please note that earning the Religious Emblem as a Tiger or Wolf does NOT fulfill the requirements for that year's Duty to God Adventure.
Tiger Adventure: My Family’s Duty to God
Complete requirement 1 and at least two from requirements 2–4.
1. With your adult partner, find out what duty to God means to your family.
2. Find out what makes each member of your family special.
3. With your family, make a project that shows your family’s beliefs about God.
4. Participate in a worship experience or activity with your family.
Wolf Adventure: Duty to God Footsteps
Complete requirements 1 and 2.
1. Do both of these:
a. Visit a religious monument or site where people might show reverence.
b. Create a visual display of your visit with your den or your family, and
show how it made you feel reverent or helped you better understand your duty to God.
2. Complete 2a and at least two of requirements 2b–2d.
a. Give two ideas on how you can practice your duty to God. Choose one, and do it for a
week.
b. Read a story about people or groups of people who came to America to enjoy religious
freedom.
c. Learn and sing a song that could be sung in reverence before or after meals or one that
gives encouragement, reminds you of how to show reverence, or demonstrates your
duty to God.
d. Offer a prayer, meditation, or reflection with your family, den, or pack.
Bear Adventure: Fellowship and Duty to God
Do either requirement 1 OR requirement 2.
1. Earn the religious emblem of your faith.
2. Complete 2a and at least two of requirements 2b–2d.
a. Working with a parent or guardian, spiritual advisor, or religious leader,
provide service to help a place of worship or spiritual community, school, community
organization, or chartered organization that puts into practice your ideals of duty to God
and strengthens your fellowship with others.
b. Identify a person whose faith and duty to God you admire, and discuss this person with
your family.
c. Make a list of things you can do to practice your duty to God as you are taught in your
home or place of worship or spiritual community. Select two of the items, and practice
them for two weeks.
d. Attend a religious service, den or pack meeting worship service, or time of family
reflection and discussion about your family’s beliefs.
Webelos Adventure: Duty to God and You
Do either requirement 1 OR requirement 2.
1. Earn the religious emblem of your faith for Webelos Scouts, if you have not
already done so.
2. Complete at least three of requirements 2a–2d:
a. Help plan, support, or actively participate in a service of worship or reflection. Show
reverence during the service.
b. Review with your family or den members what you have learned about your duty
to God.
c. Discuss with your family, family’s faith leader, or other trusted adult how planning and
participating in a service of worship or reflection helps you live your duty to God.
d. List one thing that will bring you closer to doing your duty to God, and practice it for one
month. Write down what you will do each day to remind you.
Arrow of Light Adventure: Duty to God in Action
Do either requirement 1 OR requirement 2:
1. Earn the religious emblem of your faith for Webelos Scouts, if you have not already
done so.
2. Do requirement 2a and any two from requirements 2b–2e:
a. With your parent, guardian, or religious or spiritual leader, discuss and make a plan to
do two things you think will help you better do your duty to God. Do these things for a
month.
b. Discuss with your family how the Scout Oath and Scout Law relate to your beliefs about
duty to God.
c. For at least a month, pray or reverently meditate each day as taught by your family or
faith community.
d. Read at least two accounts of people in history who have done their duty to God. (This
can include family members and ancestors.) List their names and how they showed their
duty to God.
e. Under the direction of your parent, guardian, or religious or spiritual leader, do an act of
service for someone in your family, neighborhood, or community. Talk about your
service with your family and your Webelos den leader. Tell your family, den, or den
leader how it related to doing your duty to God.
