Statements & Letters

Boy Scouts of America: Why the Proposed Policy Change Matters

Comments (10)
  1. Neta Sue & Albert Jenkins says:

    We wholeheartedly support your stance regarding the BSA’s proposed change to their membership policy.

    In HIS name,
    Albert and Neta Jenkins
    St. John Lutheran Church,
    Massillon, OH

  2. lwuelser says:

    Thank you so much for speaking out and standing together on this important matter.

    The vote this Thursday matters greatly. We hope, too, that the current membership policy of the Boy Scouts remains.

    Friends in California

  3. Laurie Trlak says:

    I wonder how much longer the Scouts can withstand societal pressure, despite the calls from so many churches to continue their current policy. And if they do change the policy, I wonder how much longer Scouting will survive.

  4. What do we do now?

    1. LCMS Church Information Center says:

      We hope to know more in the next few weeks. Please keep checking back. Blessings.

  5. Rev. John C. Stennfeld says:

    I don’t believe we have any business taking a position on who the BSA allows into membership. While we as Christians know and teach very clearly that God would not have His people continue to walk in sin (be that lying, cheating, gossiping, or living out a homosexual lifestyle), our calling and our commission as Christians is not to proclaim a standard of morality to the world so that they can then be saved, but rather to proclaim Christ and his death and resurrection through whom (alone) salvation is gained. There is a terrible confusion of Law and Gospel, and a terrible mixing of Luther’s two kingdoms taking place in our synod’s desire to change and control the course of organizations that are “outside” the church.

    1. Erich Faulstich (cubmaster) says:

      Rev. Stennfeld,
      I respectfully disagree that the BSA is “outside” the church when our own youth are involved in groups that are sponsored by and carry the name of our congregations. The standard of morality is not required of the world, but of members of our cub scout packs and boy scout troops that are a direct extension of our congregations, our church and therefore our synod. We have stood by too long and watched our society erode our Christian values without a word besides the proclamation of the gospel. I agree that there is much “mixing” of the two kingdoms, some of that is required if we are to be salt and light to this earthly realm we are required to walk in. We must fight immorality in the earthly kingdom for the sake of our children who will see acceptance as endorsement.

      1. Cal Van Wagner says:

        Amen! Many denominations sponser scouting groups as an extension or outreach of their church. As a Christian there is nothing wrong with me explaining my values, should that be necessary, where there are any events my son is involved in. In fact if my children are to be involved in activities where a moral code of conduct is required I will ABSOLUTELY be involved in understanding that code. IF that code asks me or my children to lift up or call something acceptable which is NOT acceptable before God as determined directly from His Word (For example in Leviticus) then it won’t happen. So much as I may be a leader(which I am) or parent with children in said organization It is both my right (In the United States) and my moral duty to God to proclaim the truth. How we proclaim truth is very important. I can’t ever remember winning a single soul to the Kingdom through yelling and anger. In the end this is about allowing sexuality(of any type) into the BSA. Unfortunately that is exactly what has happened. And in so doing we have just placed an X on the back of any openly gay young men. We have singled them out. I know of no scout leaders that will allow tenting or showering privileges to openly gay young men. They will do these things by themselves. In our country the law of the land still says that you can not grant or gives as a right something to one person and thus infringe upon the rights or privacy of another. It is a convoulted argument all-around because of our country’s newest religion, relativism. That is why we have the Word of God which is timeless. Perhaps we should all read it again, “for the first time”.