Religion and Life Scout Interest Badge

The Religion and Life Scout Interest Badge encourages deeper understanding of your own faith, exploring how it has developed, what it teaches, and how you can live it out as a Scout. This badge is your opportunity to explore your faith more deeply and understand how it influences your choices, values, and actions as a Scout. You'll build on what you learned in the Religion and Life Scoutcraft Badge, take a more active role in your faith community, and reflect on how your beliefs connect with the Scout Promise and Law. By working through this badge, you'll grow in knowledge, strengthen your character, and discover how to live your faith in practical and meaningful ways.

Badge Requirements

Religion and Life Scout Interest Badge

1. Prerequisite Knowledge and Training
   You must have earned the Religion and Life Scoutcraft Badge and be prepared to briefly demonstrate your knowledge if asked. OR If you have not earned it yet, complete all the Religion and Life Scoutcraft Badge requirements in consultation with your examiner as part of this badge.
2. Understanding the History of your Faith
   1. Give a detailed explanation of how your faith spread during one of its earliest periods of geographical expansion.
   2. Draw a simple sketch map showing how and where this early expansion took place, and explain what it illustrates.
   3. With your examiner’s guidance, choose and briefly describe the contributions of three key figures in your faith — one from an early period, one from the 20th century, and one of your own choice.
   4. Name one challenge or conflict your faith community faced in history and how it responded.
3. Exploring Sacred Texts and Teachings
   1. Choose one book or section from your faith’s sacred texts. Explain its origin, traditional author (if known), and its importance.
   2. Prepare and share a thoughtful explanation of two key stories or teachings from your sacred texts. Include what you learned from them.
   3. Identify and give a brief overview of one book, article, film, or podcast with a spiritual or moral message - not part of your faith’s traditional sacred texts - and explain what you found meaningful about it.
4. Living Your Faith
   1. Show that you have taken part in additional activities or voluntary roles within your faith community for at least three months (e.g. assisting with services, music, children’s activities, charity drives, or other duties).
   2. Describe your personal routine of prayer, reflection, or meditation, and explain how it supports your beliefs and daily decisions.
5. Understanding Beliefs and Community Action
   1. Explain the meaning and importance of three key beliefs or values in your faith (e.g. forgiveness, compassion, justice, service).
   2. Explain why regular prayer or reflection and reading of sacred texts are important in your faith, and how they help you in your life as a Scout.
   3. Describe two charitable organisations or community projects connected to your faith. For each, explain its main goals and how it helps others. (Optional) If you can, visit or research one of these organisations or projects. Share what you learned or how it inspired you to make a difference.
6. Deepening Your Faith
   With guidance from your examiner, choose one of the following options (age and experience will be taken into account):
   • Option A: Faith Dialogue Answer three age-appropriate questions about your faith that show your deeper understanding and how it influences your choices, values, and outlook.
     OR
   • Option B: Faith in Action Plan and carry out a simple ongoing project that helps you live your faith in a practical way - such as assisting at a place of worship, preparing for a religious event, or doing an act of kindness or service inspired by your beliefs.
7. Reflection
   After completing the requirements for this badge, share with your Examiner one way your understanding of your faith has grown, and one action you plan to take in the future because of what you have learned. You may write about it (about 75–125 words) or talk about it for 2–3 minutes.

Age Recommendation: This badge is most suitable for Scouts aged 14 to 17 years, when they are ready to reflect more deeply on their beliefs and take a more active role in their faith community.

Badge Examiner: Training and examination for this badge should be conducted by a suitably qualified individual who has relevant experience or formal training in the specific field of expertise being assessed. The ideal Examiner should be a recognised religious leader from your place of worship (e.g. Minister, Priest, Imam, Rabbi, etc), OR Someone officially appointed by your religious community.

Safe From Harm: Whilst completing the requirements for this badge, Scouts must not be placed in hazardous or dangerous situations under any circumstances. All activities must comply with SCOUTS South Africa Safe from Harm framework and be supervised by responsible adults. Participation should offer meaningful learning or service experiences while ensuring the Scout's safety and well-being at all times.

Badge Requirements in printable PDF format

• Religion and Life Scout Interest Badge (PDF)

What You Need First

The following badges must be completed before undertaking this badge:

• Religion and Life Scoutcraft Badge

Last Update

August 2025

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