The Christian Community in Scouting - ScoutBase UK

The Christian Communityin ScoutingSItem Code FS185094 January 2007 version 1.1 (103533) 0845 300 1818Christianity is the largest religion in the UnitedKingdom and has played a major part in thedevelopment of the society in which Scoutingtakes place.Christianity is the largest religion worldwide, with2.1 billion members. It is a very diverse religion,and there are many different interpretations ofwhat it means to be Christian. This has led to theformation of several major denominations andmany smaller denominations being formed. Theseinclude Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist,Baptist and Orthodox. These denominations allbelieve in the same basic beliefs but they vary inother beliefs, in the way they worship, in theirchurch structure and in other ways. This factsheetwill explore some of the main elements of theChristian faith and try to show some of thediversity of the Christian faith but will be unable tocover everything.ChristianityChristians believe in a Trinitarian God, that is oneSupreme Being, who is Father, Son and HolySpirit.• God the Father being the presence of God whostayed in heaven,• God the Son, Jesus Christ, who lived on earth for33 years• God the Holy Spirit the spiritual presence of Godwho remains on earth today.They believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah orSaviour of the world, foretold in the books of theOld Testament. Jesus’ followers wrote the booksof the New Testament that give information on hislife, teaching, and what it means to follow him.Christians therefore look to both the Old and NewTestament for their theology and teaching.Jesus ChristChristians are called Christians because they arefollowers of Jesus Christ, the central figure of theirfaith. Christians believe Jesus Christ is the onlySon of God, and the only person who has beenboth fully God and fully man. He was sent to earthto save mankind from death and sin.Jesus was born of a woman, Mary, whoconceived him through the Holy Spirit. For thisreason, many Christian denominations hold Maryin very high regard.Jesus’ life and teaching are written in the Gospelsof the New Testament, his example providesChristians with guidance on how they should live.For three years in the Roman province of Judea,Jesus had a ministry of healing, teaching andperforming of miracles. During this time he formedaround him a group of followers and within thiswider group a smaller core of twelve disciples. Histeachings can be summarised as to love of Godand to love your neighbour.Many of Jesus’ teachings upset the Jewishauthorities of the time and he was crucified.Christians believe that Jesus rose from the deadon the third day, was seen by witnesses, and thenascended to heaven. For Christians Jesus’ deathThe Scout AssociationGilwell Park Chingford London E4 7QW Tel + 44 (0)20 8433 7100 Fax + 44 (0)20 8433 7103 email info.centre@scouts.org.uk www.scouts.org.uk

page 2 of 5was seen as a sacrifice for the sins of the world,and forms a central part of their faith. They believethat his resurrection is a promise that they too willrise from the dead.The twelve disciples were inspired by the HolySpirit and started to spread Jesus’ teachings.Jesus and his followers were Jewish, butChristianity soon began to develop as a separatereligion.The Holy Book – The BibleChristians believe that the Bible is the directrevelation of God, written by men directly inspiredby the Holy Spirit. It contains a record of God’sactions in history, God’s commands on howChristians should live their life, and the life ofJesus. The Bible consists of two sectionsbooks,The Old Testament and the New Testament. TheOld Testament contains the story of the people ofIsrael before the time of Jesus. The NewTestament contains the story of Jesus and thedevelopment of the early church. Each Testamentconsists of a series of books that contain stories,songs, poetry, letters, history, and religiouswriting.There have always been differences in theinterpretation of the Bible by Christians. Somebelieve that the words of the Bible are true in theliteral sense, whilst others consider the Bible to beessentially symbolic with profound spiritualinsights.Worship and PrayerChristian worship involves praising God throughmusic and speech, using readings from scripture,prayers, sermons and ceremonies (sometimescalled sacraments).Traditionally the main day of worship forChristians is Sunday: the first day of creation andthe day on which Jesus rose from the dead. Thisis the day when Christians gather together for themain act of worship.Worship will usually be at a designated churchbuilding, but can be at any venue. In the UK,church buildings are often the oldest buildings in acommunity, but they can also be more modern.There are differences in the style and emphasis ofthe main act of worship between differentdenominations:• For some denominations the main act of worshipwill be a service of Holy Communion, which reenactsthe last meal that Jesus shared with hisdisciples.• At some churches the central act of worship willbe bible readings and the interpretation of them.There are some denominations andcongregations within the Christian church whohave experimented in new ways of worshippingthat use different venues to churches, along withhigh tech lighting and music.• Other smaller acts of worship, social activities,and teaching times will be held during the week,either at the church building or in peoples homes.The SacramentsMost Christian denominations believe insacraments. These can be described as the mostholy or special things that the church can offer tobelievers. Not all churches have the same numberof sacraments, and some give different value andimportance to them. In all the sacraments thepresence of the Holy Spirit and his working is ofkey importance. There are seven sacraments thatare recognised to a different degree by manydenominations.• BaptismBaptism is the most widely accepted means ofentry into the Christian faith. This may happen asa baby or as an adult. The service is full ofsymbolism and contains the pouring out orimmersion into water.Key symbols within this service is darkness andlight, unclean and clean, old life and new life. Theparents of a baby who is to be baptised willchoose Godparents who act as advisers for thebaby as they grow up within the church. The

page 3 of 5parents and Godparents speak for the baby at theservice and commit the baby to the Christianchurch.In some Christian denominations Baptism isconsidered to be such an important sacramentthat it is only offered to adults who can expresstheir faith for themselves.• Holy CommunionHoly Communion is the service where bread andwine are consecrated and shared by theCongregation. This sacrament re-enacts the lastmeal, the Last Supper, that Jesus shared with hisdisciples. Some Christians see this is a simple reenactmentof the Last Supper, whereas for othersthe bread and wine symbolically represent thebody and blood of Christ, and others believe thatthe bread and wine become the real body andblood of Jesus Christ.The beliefs surrounding Holy Communion will varybetween denominations and even within them.The Holy Communion itself can be referred to byseveral titles these include mass, Eucharist, theDivine Liturgy and the Lords supper• ConfirmationThis is a service in which a baptised child or adultconfirms their faith in Christ. It is also a sign of fullmembership of the Christian community. Throughconfirmation, a Christian believes that they arereceiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.In Eastern churches, infants are confirmed afterbaptism, most Western denominations wait untilparticipants are old enough to understand whatthey are undertaking. There are variations in theway the service is being carried out betweendenominations. Confirmation candidates attendclasses to help them have a better understandingof how to live as a follower of Christ.commissioned either by ordination or a similarmethod, which is considered a sacrament.Performing this leadership role is often known asministry, and seen as the continuation of the workof Jesus Christ. Ministry can take many differentforms, both within and between denominations.There are also variations in who is able performdifferent types of ministry. In some denominations,only someone who has been ordained can usuallyadminister the sacraments.• MarriageChristians believe that marriage is a gift from God,that shouldn’t be taken lightly. They considermarriage to be a lifelong commitment, andimportant for the love of the couple themselvesand the procreation and upbringing of children.Getting married in a church in front of God is veryimportant, and some denominations see marriageas a sacrament. During the service of marriagethe couple will make vows to each other withfamily, friends and God as their witnesses.• ReconciliationChristians believe that only God is perfect. Asimperfect beings we often do things of which weare ashamed and that go against the teachings ofJesus. There are many forms of formal confessionor saying sorry to God for these faults or sins.God’s forgiveness comes through the absolutionthat normally comes from a Christian minister.This symbolises the forgiveness that comes fromGod.• HealingThe Bible teaches that Jesus Christ performedmany miracles, including those of healing. SomeChristians believe that this healing continuesthrough the power of the Holy Spirit, and can beperformed as a sacrament.• OrdinationIn some Christian denominations the leaders ofthe church are officially recognised and

page 4 of 5Holy Days and festivalsThe two major celebrations for the Christianchurch are Christmas and Easter. Christmas is onthe same day every year and Easter movesaround. The actual date for Christmas and Eastercan be different between different denominationsof Christianity. Some other festivals are based onthe date of Easter, so their dates will move aroundas well.The Christian church year is divided into seasons.The year begins on the fourth Sunday beforeChristmas with Advent. The major seasons areoften indicated by the use of colour and thewording of services. Denominations will vary intheir recognition of other seasonal times andcelebrations. The church year is as follows:• Advent. A time of preparation before Christmas.Seasonal colour of purple. Symbolism of darknessand light.• Christmas Day, Epiphany and Christmastide.The celebration of the birth of Christ. Seasonalcolour white.• Lent. The 40 days leading up to Easter, beginningon Ash Wednesday. It is a time of penitence andcan include ritual fasting. Seasonal colour purple.• Easter, Eastertide, Pentecost (Whitsun) Themost important Christian festival, it is thecelebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Seasonalcolour white.Christians may also celebrate Saints days. Saintsare men and women whom the church believes tohave led particularly holy lives and have shown agood example of Christian living. Several Saintsdays are associated with particular customs andcelebrations. Some Christians may celebrate thename day of the saint that shares their name.Some churches do not recognise special holidays,and may also discourage the celebration of Easterand Christmas.Behaviour and ValuesThe behaviour and values of Christians are basedon the Ten Commandments of the Old Testamentand the teachings and behaviour of Jesus Christ.The teachings of Jesus are based on the love ofGod and for your fellow human beings.The Christian church believes that all humans arefaced with choices in life and one of the biggest iswhether to follow the path of good or evil. Theforce of good in the world is God and the force ofevil is traditionally referred to as the Devil.Family and CommunityChristianity differs from some of the other religionsin the fact that not all members of a family may beChristians. Christians are encouraged to take theirbeliefs and live them out within their lives.Christian families may spend time together inprayer during the week and give thanks beforeeach meal.Christian ScoutsFrom the very early days, the Christian faith haswarmly embraced the values and ethos ofScouting. Many of the first Scout Leaders in theUnited Kingdom were members of the clergy andrespected members of the Christian church.As there has been a long history of close linksbetween Christianity and Scouting in the UK,many Scouts are Christian, and our practises andvalues are often closely linked.Some Christian Scouts will be required to attendan act of Christian worship on a Sunday morning(or another day depending on their particulardenomination). This may prevent them from takingpart in Scout activities on that day. During camps,most Scout campsites will be able to offer acontact with local churches in the area. Thecampsite may also have a Christian minister as asite chaplain who may be available to offerworship on the campsite.Some Christian young people will attendconfirmation classes as part of becoming a full

page 5 of 5member of their church. This will happen atdifferent ages depending upon the individual andtheir denomination. This might put extra pressureon their free time outside of school, or clash withtheir weekly Scout meetings, so Leaders mayneed to be understanding of their commitments,as well as supportive of this important time in ayoung Christian’s life.The majority of Christians are not restricted bydiet, though some will abstain from alcohol.Because of the variety of Christian beliefs, it isimportant not to make assumptions about what aChristian Scout believes, how they celebrate theirfaith, and how being a Christian will impact onthem being a Scout. If you are unsure whethersomething is acceptable, ask the individual, andtheir parents if appropriate.Further informationFurther information on the Christian faith can befound at:www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/