Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1954, Page 69

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Ev. Luth. Synodical Confererice of North America, 1954 69

Previous discussions. and dealings suggest: the subject matter
to be treated here. In all of them attention. has been given to
certain chief points of controversy, set forth at the first forum of
discussion, thé Intersynodical Relations Committee of the Synodical
Conference, and recurring constantly in subsequent dealings. When

‘individual synods acted in the matter, they reaffirmed their stand

on these points. Intersynodical committees rendered divided reports
reflecting a basic difference of opinion:on the same points of con-
troversy. The first of these. points can be stated in the form of
the question:

I. Does Scoutism Today Have Objectionable Religious Features?

The Missouri Synod and Slovak Synod members of the Synodi-
cal Conference Committee on Scouting in their report claim:
“Scouting is a secular boys’ organization designed to promote good
citizenship. (That Scoutism advocates a life governed by religious
principles does not make it a religious movement.) Scoutism does
not teach religion. (Scoutism expects the church to add the reli-
gious element, without which the program is incomplete.) ...
Scoutism does not promise spiritual blessings such as forgiveness of
sins, life, and salvation, peace with God, etc., to those who obey
the Scout law.” (Cf. Syn. Conf. Proceedings, 1952, p.146.) These
claims are to lead to the conclusion that Scouting is a harmless
secular organization which the Church can embrace in the interest
of its youth-training program.

Is Scouting Merely a Secular Organization?

While much of Scouting is concerned. with the purely material
and devoted to citizenship training, we are not ready to follow the
claims quoted above to their intended conclusion. The first of these
claims conveys the incorrect impression that the only alternative
to a secular organization is a religious movement. There is a middle
ground between the two. There are secular organizations that have
religious features and seek religious ends, often improper and
false, without ever becoming completely religious. To say that
Scouting is not a religious movement is not identical with proving
that it is a secular organization free of all objectionable religious
features. Furthermore, the lack of reference to “spiritual blessings
such as forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, peace with God,
etc.,” in the principles of an organization does not in itself mean
that the organization is wholly secular and devoid of all religious
aspects. The existence of religions that deal exclusively with the
things of this life has led to the coining of the untranslatable terms
Diesseitigkeitstheologie, Diesseitigkeitsreligion. And the very claim
that “Scouting expects the churches to add the religious element,
without which the program is incomplete” seems to warrant the
conclusion that in the complete Scouting program there are essen-

_tial religious features.

‘The Religious Features of Scouting

By insisting on the oath or promise: “On my honor I will do

‘my best ...to do my duty to God,” by defining “duty to God” as
regular worship, faithfulness to Almighty God’s Commandments,

gratitude, helping others (cf. Handbook for Boys, Fifth Edition,