According to the founder of the group formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, (now Scouts BSA), scouting is impossible without Christianity. However, Scouts BSA has succumbed to “woke” ideologies, leaving Christians who want a scouting experience for their sons wondering where to turn.
The Christian Founder
The Boy Scouts was founded in England by a nobleman called Lord Baden-Powell. Powell was the sixth of eight children, and learned to hunt and scavenge in the off-limits forests beside his school.
He later served in the British army where his cunning and courage made him a national hero. On his return from the war, he rewrote his popular military training manual “Aids to Scouting” for young people, calling it “Scouting for Boys.”
A boy’s scouting movement spontaneously formed following the manual’s publication. It soon became an international phenomenon. By 1939, the number of Scouts had grown to over 3.3 million worldwide.
Baden-Powell saw Christianity as integral to the life of a scout. He famously said “Scouting is nothing less than applied Christianity.”
For Baden-Powell, to be a scout was to believe in God.
“No man is much good unless he believes in God and obeys His laws. So every Scout should have a religion….Religion seems a very simple thing: First: Love and Serve God. Second: Love and serve your neighbor.”
Christian ideals are reflected in the Boy Scout Oath, which prominently features God—and in the list of attributes a scout should have in which “reverence” is included.
Gone Woke?
Both the oath and the virtue of reverence are still included in the Scout Handbook, though the actual practice of it seems absent in modern scouting.
In 2013 the Boy Scouts allowed young men who openly live a same-sex attracted lifestyles to be involved in scouting. The move unsettled many of the troops formed by religious institutions that consider homosexuality to be immoral.
In 2019, the Boy Scouts of America changed their name to Scouts BSA and instituted troops for young women. For many, this change was the final straw, and many troops permanently disbanded.
Having an institution which was totally devoted to the formation of young men in the Christian tradition had given the BSA a unique place in the world. Boys had a place where they could be boys learning how to be men.
The inclusion of women, though there are no co-ed troops, negatively affects the organization as a whole. Scouting camps can no longer solely orient themselves toward boys.
The Jamboree, the largest gathering of Boy Scouts in the country, must now include and cater to girls. The places and spaces which once celebrated and fostered manhood must now include women as well.
Parents also expressed concern that “trans” children would be included in these troops, and their fears have been realized.
Scouts BSA has become increasingly “woke,” adding the position of ‘Inclusivity Director’ to their staff. Various troops began wearing their uniforms to politically charged marches, including the recent 2023 Seattle Pride Parade.
The Citizenship in Society Merit Badge became a requirement for scouts to achieve their Eagle Scout status in 2022. To become an Eagle Scout is the highest honor in the scouting world and involves years of hard work.
This badge focuses on “inclusivity” and “identities.” It is more free-form than other badges, and its requirements are largely determined by the scout’s counselor, which could be harmful depending on the counselor and his/her beliefs.
Some of the resources provided counselors for the completion of this badge include a podcast about gender ideology among Native Americans, “White Anti-Racism: Living the Legacy,” and a “Guide the Allyship,” which instructs the scout to “Transfer the benefits of your privilege to those who lack it.”
Moving Forward
Many believe scouting to be essential to the formation of young Christian men. Yet Baden-Powell’s vision for the Boy Scouts seems to have become corrupted by today’s culture. Some former scouts do not want their sons to follow in their footsteps, worried about the subversive tendencies of “woke” culture.
Here are some alternatives to the Scouts BSA for those seeking groups that help form boys into good men:
Trail Life is similar in structure and organization to the Boy Scouts. A boys-only organization, Trail Life has troops across every state in America. “Our Mission is to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure,” their website says. Like the Boy Scouts, this group has a series of achievements the boys must complete to move on to the next level. They also have an award comparable to that of Eagle Scout known as the “Freedom Award.”
The Knights of Columbus have a group known as the Columbian Squires established in 1925. Its operations are a bit broader than the Boy Scouts, and there are five levels of achievement. The organization is focused on helping to “mold young Catholic men into the strong leaders of tomorrow, while preparing these Squires for their future as active, contributing members of the Knights of Columbus.” The types of activities they participate in vary depending on the “circle” to which the boys belong .
Fraternus is a relatively new Catholic organization which focuses on the formation of men. It involves both the fathers and the sons who grow in holiness together. With weekly meetings, outdoor excursions, and a journey to knighthood, this organization provides a steady structure of formation for men of all ages. The organization keeps the Eucharist at its center, because it is in the “Eucharist that Christian Fraternity is the most manifest.”
Alert Cadet is a Christian father and son organization with a heavy emphasis on Biblical virtue and theology. Alert Cadet, “affirms the cardinal doctrines of Scripture that have been defended by historic statements of faith. These include the divine inspiration of Scripture, the deity of Christ, the original sin nature of man, the atonement for sin by Christ’s shed blood, and the justification by faith in Jesus as the Christ.”
Squad STX, is a secular organization. While not a year-round organization, it gives boys the chance to experience the outdoors and learn leadership skills. The instructors are cadets or newly commissioned lieutenants from ROTC programs. “We use primitive camping and orienteering,” the website says, “to promote the classic U.S. Army leadership values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage!” The programs are not for the faint of heart, as the website states, “Less Kumbaya and more Hooah!”
