Posted on 10/19/2010 8:21:21 AM PDT by Colofornian
In shopping around for a Cub Scout program for their two sons, ages 6 and 8, Jeremy and Jodi Stokes decided on the one at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews.
The Stokes, also of Matthews, weren't members of the evangelical megachurch, but they had many friends who were. And unlike the Cub Scout pack at their own church, which doesn't have a program for 6-year-old Tiger Scouts, Christ Covenant's was big enough to accommodate both of their boys.
The couple even signed up to be Scout leaders - he would lead the Bears, she'd help with the Tigers - when they discovered the church needed more adult help. And when the Scouting officials at Christ Covenant found out Jeremy Stokes was an Eagle Scout, they were thrilled.
So why, in the end, did Christ Covenant reject the Stokes' application to be Scout leaders?
Because they're Mormons. And, therefore, not real Christians, church officials told the couple last month.
The Rev. Gabe Sylvia, Christ Covenant's staff liaison to the Scouting program, confirmed the Stokes' account. He called them to apologize but defends the church's decision.
"Based on a once-over, informal scan, it looked like the Stokes would be good additions to our leadership," he said. "But when it became clear that they were Mormons, they could not become leaders in our pack. Mormonism is not consistent with historical Christianity."
That view - that Mormons are not Christians - is shared by other Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches. Mormons, though, do call themselves Christians.
The Stokes were told their sons were welcome to join, and that they could volunteer. But as practicing Mormons, they couldn't be leaders.
Scout Council: It's unusual
Mark Turner, executive director of the Mecklenburg County Council of the Boy Scouts, said it's the first local instance he knows of where parents were rejected for Scout leadership on religious grounds.
What upset the Stokes family most was the church questioning their Christianity.
"It was so offensive," said Jodi Stokes, who was raised Catholic, then became a Mormon. "I have a picture of Jesus in my living room."
And, she added, look at the formal name of their church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Jeremy Stokes, a Bank of America financial consultant whose family has been in the LDS (Latter-day Saints) church for generations, wrote this when asked on Christ Covenant's Scouting application to describe his relationship with Christ: "One of the most important things in my life is my faith and trust in Christ and in His Atonement. Without Christ's help and guidance, I know I wouldn't be the loving father or devoted husband or humble man I am today. His example is the one help I need and rely on every day and I am truly grateful for that."
Bishop Steven Rowlan of the LDS ward, or parish, which the Stokes attend in Weddington, acknowledged that Mormon theology diverges from some beliefs shared by most Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox Christians. But he insisted members of the LDS church are as Christian as the members of Christ Covenant.
"Yes, there are distinct differences," he said. "But not with respect to being a Christian. We definitely and truly are Christians in every sense of the word."
Not true, say Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox churches. They point to the LDS church's extra-biblical scriptures (Mormons abide by the Bible and the Book of Mormon). Mormons also reject the professions of faith, or Christian creeds, that are recited on Sundays in many Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches.
But the Stokes case raises another issue: Do Scout leaders or coaches of sports teams have to pass the same religious tests as, say, Sunday school teachers, if those troops and teams are chartered by houses of worship?
Packs at other churches
No is the answer at many churches, including Charlotte's largest - St. Matthew Catholic, with 28,000 members.
"We have Scout leaders of many faiths at St. Matthew," said Mike Nielsen, Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 8. "Other than the Scoutmaster - that one job, which goes to a Catholic - I've never heard any mention of the faith of other (Cub Scout and Boy Scout) leaders."
But at Christ Covenant - the largest Presbyterian Church of America church in the Carolinas, with 600 families - the answer is yes.
"Boy Scouts is a ministry of our church," said Sylvia, the church's pastor for Christian Education and Young Families. "We want to insure that what (Scout leaders) believe is consistent with our denominational viewpoint."
For Sylvia, that at least means that Scout leaders must believe in the Apostles' Creed - a profession of faith dating back to the early centuries of Christianity.
Stelle Snyder, the spokeswoman for Christ Covenant, said it could even extend beyond that. A decade ago, she said, the church had to say no to a Catholic dad who wanted to coach one of the church's sports teams. Catholics, she said, often stress good works as the road to salvation more than many Protestants, who emphasize grace. And she said it's part of the role of coaches in her church's sports outreach program to share Bible stories.
"From the standpoint of ministering and representing the church, those people (coaches and Scout leaders) need to be on the same page," Snyder said. "In practice and intent, this is not meant to be unwelcome, unpleasant or unnecessarily legalistic. It's all for positive reasons. And it's not that Mormons have been singled out."
Turner, executive director of Mecklenburg's Boy Scouts Council, said Christ Covenant is within its rights as a chartering organization to apply additional leadership qualifications, as long as it also honors those the Boy Scouts insist on.
Some of the Boy Scouts' national guidelines have also been controversial and, to some, discriminatory. Because the Boy Scout pledge includes fealty to God and country, no atheists and agnostics can be members or leaders. Neither can homosexuals.
In Mecklenburg, Turner estimates 150 houses of worship charter Boy Scout troops and/or Cub Scout packs - a greater number than those sponsored by civic organizations, neighborhoods, and other groups.
Asked if other houses of worship apply theological tests for their Scouting leaders, Turner said he didn't know. "We're not asking that question out there," he said.
Should they?
"I think it's a good question," Turner said. "Scout leaders are mentors to young people, whether they're 7 years old or 13 years old. If that charter organization feels strongly about that and says our mission is to achieve 'X' objective through scouting, then it's OK for them to set these parameters."
Blatant racial discrimination would be another story, he said, with the council reserving the right to revoke any group's charter.
As for the Stokes family, Turner said, what happened was "unfortunate... We in the Boy Scouts want everybody - the whole family - to have a great experience, not a bad experience."
Stokes find Scouting home
Though the family pulled their sons out of the Christ Covenant scouting program, they have since signed up their 8-year-old for the smaller Cub Scout pack chartered by their Mormon ward in Weddington. The bishop has named Jeremy Stokes the pack Cubmaster and Jodi Stokes chair of the Scout committee.
"My little guy (the 6-year-old) can't join, so he tags along," his mother said.
Nationally, the Mormon church has a close relationship with the Boy Scouts of America. What is the Mormon church's rules about appointing Scout leaders?
Mormon Bishop Rowlan, who heads the Stokes' Weddington church, would not say whether he would be open to naming a non-Mormon as a Scouting leader.
"I'd have to take each one on an individual basis," he said, adding that that is the policy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At Christ Covenant, meanwhile, Rev. Sylvia and spokeswoman Snyder said the Stokes case will prompt the church to clarify policies that were always understood, but not necessarily written down.
"There's a need for us to be much more specific, so that it's clear whoever is in a leadership position is consistent with what Christ Covenant teaches," said Snyder.
Article states LDS policy is “...on an individual basis.”
And if most or all of them do not, will we hear your same accusation of the Mormon church?
(Just checkin' your face...whether it's one side or two)
I have a Silver Beaver from Denver Area Council. The Mormon Church uses the scout program as And when a so-called "Christian" church does the same I've been a Scout leader for over fifty years.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
an adjunct to it's program.
That is not the program of Baden-Powell.
they are neither running a Boy Scout program nor
a Christian program.
breaking out the popcorn placemarker
Free association is such a difficult concept for so many people.
Only under ObamaCare...
Most Mormon wards will allow non-lds scout leaders. My father (not lds) was my scout leader in an lds scout troop for many years. In my current ward, 2 of the leaders are not lds.
Probably the wisest post of the day.
And before anyone thinks I’m blaming the PCA. I’m not. That was their policy, but I’m not PCA and I was free to look elsewhere for a meeting place which I did.
And, she added, look at the formal name of their church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This just says it all. Mormons PLAY at being Christians, they think that they are Christians because they have a picture of Jesus and His name in their organization. They don't get that it isn't about appearances, it is about beliefs and their beliefs are an insult to Jesus Christ.
They are like 5 year olds playing 'house', they say the words, act out what they observe but don't really get it.
This whole thing is wrong on several points. Let me preface by saying I am pro-scouting and pro-/Judeo-Christian. They both foster a positive spiritual and secular culture that this country is fast losing. However, I don’t find any scriptural command in the Bible that churches should be promoting organizations outside of the church itself. The churches should stick with their original mission. Although I am a total skeptic of the origins and doctrine of Mormonism, I have no doubt of their “Christian” morality and decency. To exclude them from scouting leadership is ridiculous and too divisive. Parents that are so concerned their kids might be influenced by the “wrong things” in public ought to be more proactive in first training them at home.
No one has a right to be a soutmaster and this church wasn't turning anyone away from being a scout. Paul set qualifications for Church leaders. This Church established the scouting program as part of its Church ministry and reasonable qualifications for its leaders is perfectly biblical.
YHvH and His salvation commanded
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
all of His called out ones to preach
the Good News to all the gentiles.
Well not unless they start their own troops. Same with my parish. We have an official boy scout troop, and my own back in the day was ran by the Knights.
ROTFL!
....the article also cites the Boy Scouts saying the church was within its rights as a chartering organization and turnabout wonderment on this is fair play....
This makes me wonder if some Mormons were encouraging disrespect of BSA chartering rules among other Mormons, by going to the press with this story.
But to answer your initial query the LDS is to Christianity as Obama is to American Citizenship
But it’s good news for a MSM that still can’t get over the fact that the Boy Scouts DARED stand their ground and not cower to the gay agenda.
Many Christians as well, think THEY are Christian, merely because they have a picture of Jesus on their wall.
Allowing someone to be a scout leader is not the same as preaching the good news. Nothing here indicates this church doesn’t preach the good news to all the gentiles. To suggest otherwise would be to bear false witness.
“What upset the Stokes family most was
the church questioning their Christianity.”
Ha!
Whether they should be “scout leaders” or not is
one issue.
Mormonism isn’t even close to Christianity.
Christians do not believe Christ was created.
Christians do not believe in multiple gods (infinite number)
Christians do not believe people become gods of their own planet.
Christians do not believe there is a “council of gods”
Christians do not believe in celestial sex to create spirit children
Christians do not believe there is a Heavenly Mother that breeds with Heavenly Father...
and that’s just for starters.
ampu
That is totally unfair. The American people are not completely unified in refuting Obama's citizenship.
Point taken.
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