Requirements:

Brownies: Complete at least four activities including one starred activity.

Juniors: Complete at least eight activities including one starred activity.

Cadette/Senior: Complete at least ten activities including one starred activity.

1. Find out if there is a special Girl Scout award for your religion. Get a copy of the requirements and discuss them with your Girl Scout leader, parents, religious leader or teacher. (Girls are encouraged to view P.R.A.Y.’s web-site www.praypub.org for information on religious recognitions.) With permission from parents, earn a Girl Scout Religious Award from the denomination that is appropriate for you. (Skill Builder)

2. Talk to a religious leader or teacher from your house of worship. Include the following in your discussion: • What are the sacred writings that are important to your religion? • What are the most important beliefs/values about your religion? • What special holidays does your religion observe? • What major historical event(s) established your religion? • How does someone officially become a member of your religious body? • Are there ceremonies that are special to your religion? • What makes your religion different from other world religions? • What roles do women have in your religion? Share what you learn with your troop or group. (Skill Builder)

3. Talk to two people who practice a religion different from your own. Discuss some things that are the same and different between your practices and theirs. (Skill Builder)

4. Visit a place of worship for a religion that is different from your own. (Skill Builder)

5. Attend a service, ceremony or celebration for a religion that is different from your own. (Skill Builder)

6. Find out about holidays from at least two religions that are different from your own. Do an activity related to one of these holidays such as make a craft, prepare and eat a special food or learn a song. (Skill Builder)

7. Complete a service project to help a person or organization that practices a religion that is different from your own. (Service Project)

* 8. Research information on the five major world religions. Create and informative poster and/or game about what you learned for a group of younger Girl Scouts. (Technology)

9. Discuss with family if any of your ancestors moved to the United States because of religious persecution or in search of religious freedom. Find out why they felt that was important and how it is different where they came from. Share what you learn with your troop or group. (Skill Builder)

10. Invite to a troop meeting an immigrant to the U.S. that came here for religious freedom. Discuss with them what it was like in their own country and how it is different here. (Skill builder)

11. Find out what an Ecumenical council is. See if you have one in your area. If you do, invite a speaker to discuss how Ecumenical councils support religious freedom. If not, consider getting community support for one in your area by writing newspaper articles and/or discussing it with various local clergy. (Service Project)

12. Learn at least two dances of Universal Peace or two dances from different religions. (Skill Builder)

13. Participate in at least one of these that is different from your own tradition: a Japanese Tea Ceremony, a Purim Carnival, Kirking of the Tartans, hena tattoos during Ramadan, a Zen meditation. (Skill Builder)

14. Learn what a koan is, try writing one yourself. (Skill Builder)

15. Learn the difference between meditation, contemplation and prayer. (Skill Builder)

16. In the Hindu tradition there are seven schools of yoga, each use a different technique. Explore one. (Skill Builder)

17. Find graces from three religious traditions, try each one before snack time with your troop. Learn about eating restrictions of some religions. Create a meal around the restrictions of one religious group. (Skill Builders)

18. Create a troop calendar that lists as many religious holidays from all of the traditions that you can find. Can you fill all the days? (Technology)

19. Candles are used in Girl Scout ceremonies and throughout religious ceremonies of every denomination. Why? Study the symbolic meaning of candles and create your own candles. Consider making the candles special for your own Scouts Own by anointing tehm, writing the promise or law on them, etc. (Technology)

* 20. Organize an event to promote world peace and religious tolerance, invite all denominations to participate. One idea is to create a permanent Peace Pole in your area. Invite all denominations to attend when it is put in place for a dedication ceremony. (Service Project)

21. Find out the various names for God from various religious perspectives. Why are there so many names? Is any one name more right than another? (Skill Builder)

22. Select a country from WAGGGS. Find out what the majority of Girl Scouts/Girl Guides from that country practice as a religion. See if they have a religious badge from that country. Find out what the requirements are. If possible, do one or two of the activities for that badge. (Skill Builder)

* 23. Some people choose a career within a religion. Select two religions and find out what careers are available in these religions. Interview people who have chosen at least two of the different careers you have discovered in your research. Find out why they chose their career and what they had to do to qualify for their position. (Career Exploration)

* 24. Participate in a Girl Scout Sabbath or Girl Scout Sunday event with your troop. If one is not available in your area, contact a house of worship (synagogue/church) and work on creating the event with the appropriate people. Then announce it to the other troops in your Neighborhood. (Service Project)

* 25. In reflection on working on this badge, what does the Girl Scout Promise mean when it says “to serve God”? Do a service project as a troop that reflects your understanding. (Service Project)

Group 1058, Monterey Bay Girl Scout Council developed the criteria. Special thanks to Kythera Ann. Shauna Casey, a Cadette Girl Scout from Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, adapted it for use in her council.