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Religious Emblems
for Boy Scouts,
Varsity Scouts,
Venturers, and Explorers

"A Scout is Reverent." All Scouts show this by being faithful in their duty to God. Some go further and give special service. This can qualify them for a religious emblem. Such an emblem is not a Scouting award. It is conferred on a Scout by his religious leader. Each faith has its own requirements for earning its emblem. Listed below are the BOY SCOUT and VARSITY SCOUT emblems and where to find out about them. Before writing or visiting your local council service center, check with your religious leader. 

(Unless indicated otherwise below, awards listed may be earned by both Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts.) Older Boy Scouts of Varsity Scout age (over 14), Venturers, and Sea Scouts (and in some cases, Explorers) are eligible for any awards that Varsity Scouts may earn.

Most of these groups also offer religious emblems for younger youth in the various Cub Scout Programs. For information on the awards available to Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and/or Webelos Scouts, Click Here.

Most of the awards consist of bar pins, ribbons, and pendants, and are worn on the uniform above the left pocket on formal occasions. In addition, the Religious Emblem Square knot may be worn on the uniform over the left pocket by youth or adults who earned any of the religious awards. One or more miniature devices are affixed to the knot to indicate which level(s) of the award was earned. For information on the devices which are attached to the knot, Click Here.

Also see Frequently Asked Questions for additional information, Click Here.

The following faiths or denominations have religious awards for Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers and/or Explorers:

African Methodist Episcopal Church
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Armenian Apolstolic (Western Prelacy)
ST. MESROB

Armenian Apostolic Church of America
Western Prelacy
4401 Russell Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-663-8273

Armenian Church of America (Eastern Diocese)
ARARAT

D.R.E
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-686-0710

Baha'i
UNITY OF MANKIND

Baha'i Committee on Scouting
Baha'i National Center
Education and Schools Office
1233 Central Street
Evanston, IL 60201-1611
847-733-3495

Baptist
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Buddhist
SANGHA

National Buddhist Committee on Scouting
701 E. Thrift Avenue
Kingsland, GA 31548-8213
912-729-6323

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
ON MY HONOR

LDS Relationships
36 South State Street, Suite 1175
Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1401
801-530-0004

Churches of Christ
GOOD SERVANT

Members of the Churches of Christ for Scouting
ATTN: Kent Barnett
ACU Station
Box 27938
Abilene, Texas 79699-7938
915-674-3739

Community of Christ
(formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
LIAHONA (Boy Scouts)
LIFE AND WORLD (Varsity Scouts)

Director of Scouting
Community of Christ
The Auditorium
P.O. Box 1059
Independence, MO 64051-0559
816-833-1000

Eastern Catholic
LIGHT IS LIFE (Boy Scouts)
POPE PIUS XII (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center,
diocesan Scout office, or
National Catholic Committee on Scouting
1325 West Walnut Hill Lane
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079
972-580-2114

Eastern Orthodox
ALPHA OMEGA

Local council service center,
Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Episcopal
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

General Church of the New Jerusalem (The New Church)
OPEN WORD AWARD

Chairman
Boy Scouts Relations Committee
General Church of the New Jerusalem
P.O. Box 277
Bryn Athyn PA 19009
215-938-2542

Hindu
KARMA

North American Hindu Association
847 E. Angela St
Pleasanton, CA 94566
925-846-3811

Islamic
IN THE NAME OF GOD

Mr. Aunali Khalfan
P.O. Box 731516
Elmhurst, NY 11371
718-779-6505

Jewish
NER TAMID (Boy Scouts)
ETZ CHAIM (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center,
National Jewish Committee on Scouting, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Lutheran
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
LIVING FAITH (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center,
National Lutheran Association of Scouters, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Meher Baba
COMPASSIONATE FATHER

Committee for Meher Baba and Scouting
912 Ninth Avenue South
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
843-272-3498

Moravian
GOD AND COUNTRY

The Moravian Church
Drawer Y
Winston-Salem, NC 27108
336-722-8126

Polish National Catholic
GOD AND COUNTRY (BOG I OJCZYZNA)

Mr. Arthur Wyglon
115 Heather Hill Drive
Buffalo, NY 14224
716-674-2394

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center,
National Association of Presbyterian Scouters, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Protestant and Independent Christian Churches
(Available to any Christian denomination)
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
SPIRIT OF TRUTH

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Roman Catholic
AD ALTARE DEI (Boy Scouts)
POPE PIUS XII (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center,
diocesan Scout office, or
National Catholic Committee on Scouting
1325 West Walnut Hill Lane
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079
972-580-2114

The Salvation Army
GOD AND THE SALVATION ARMY (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

The Salvation Army
P.O. Box 269
Alexandria, VA 22313
Eastern Territory: 914-620-7427
Central Territory: 847-294-2112
Southern Territory: 404-728-1363
Western Territory: 310-544-6434

Scientist Church of Christ (Christian Scientist)
GOD AND COUNTRY

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Unitarian-Universalist -
Currently not authorized for wear on the BSA uniform
RELIGION IN LIFE

Unitarian-Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108

United Church of Christ
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

United Methodist
GOD AND CHURCH (Boy Scouts)
GOD AND LIFE (Varsity Scouts)

Local council service center,
National Association of United Methodist Scouters, or
PRAY
8520 Mackenzie Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63123-3413
800-933-7729

Unity Churches
LIGHT OF GOD (Boy Scouts)

The Association of Unity Churches
P.O. Box 610
Lee's Summit, MO 64063
816-524-7414

Zoroastrian
GOOD LIFE

Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York
c/o Mrs. Villy Gandhi, Corresponding Secretary
The Good Life Program
704 Harristown Road
Glen Rock, NJ 07452-2334
201-445-3917

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