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Religious Policy

2a.6.1.1 Policy statement
The Scout Association includes members of many different faiths and religions as well as those with no formal religion. The following policy has received the approval of the heads of the leading religious bodies in the United Kingdom. All members of the movement are encouraged to:  

  1. make every effort to progress in the understanding and observance of the Promise to do their best, to do their duty to God, or to uphold the Scout’s values as appropriate  
  2. explore their faith, beliefs and attitudes
  3. consider belonging to some faith or religious body
  4. carry into daily practice what they profess.

2a.6.2 Attendance at services

2a.6.2.1 Attendance at religious services
If a Group, Explorer Unit or Scout Network is composed of members of several denominations, religions or beliefs, the young people should be encouraged to attend services relevant to their own form of religion or belief.

2a.6.3 Chaplains

2a.6.3.1 Chaplains as Team Members
Chaplains may be appointed in Groups, Districts, Counties, Countries and nationally. A Chaplain may be a Minister of Religion or a lay person.  

In the ‘teams’ model there is no formal role of Chaplain. Instead, the person designated as Chaplain will be a member of one of the relevant teams. The relevant Lead Volunteer can make that decision, though the following provides guidance: 

  • Group: Group Leadership Team 
  • District: District Volunteering Development Team 
  • Group: Group Volunteering Development Team 

2a.6.3.2 Group sponsored by a religious body
In a Group sponsored by a religious body the religious leader may be appointed Group Chaplain.

2a.6.3.3 National Chaplains
National Chaplains may be appointed for religious bodies represented in Scouts.  

2a.6.4 Responsibilities within the Religious Policy

2a.6.4.1 District or County Lead Volunteer
The District Lead Volunteer or the County ([NI] Country) Lead Volunteer as appropriate, must be satisfied that all applicants for appointments are fully aware that they will be required by their personal example to implement The Scout Association's religious policy. 

2a.6.4.2 Group Lead Volunteer
If a Sponsored Group has a policy of recruitment restricted to members of one particular form of religion or denomination, the Sponsoring Authority is responsible for the religious training of all young people in the Group.  

In this case it is the duty of the Group Lead Volunteer to encourage attendance at such religious instruction and observances as the Sponsoring Authority may consider desirable.  

2a.6.4.3 Scouts’ Own Services
Scouts' Own Services may be held for the purpose of spiritual reflection and to promote a fuller understanding of the significance of the Scout Promise and Law.  

Such services must be regarded as supplementary to, rather than a substitute for, formal attendance at the services of the individual's own form of religion.  

2a.6.4.4 Section Teams
If a Squirrel, Beaver, Cub, Scout, Explorer or Scout Network member is not allowed, by reasons of the individual's own religious obligations, to attend acts of worship other than that of the individual's own faith, the Section Team must make certain that those obligations are not compromised.