History of Scouting in the Lutheran Church
The NLAS has a long and rich history of promoting scouting for Lutheran youth.
Timeline
1900s: Early Beginnings
- Troop 2: One of the 15 oldest BSA troops in the U.S., chartered to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in College Point, NY.
1943: Key Foundations
- Lutheran Committee of Scouting established by representatives of 8 U.S. Lutheran church bodies.
- Produced the manual: “Scouting in the Lutheran Church.”
- Created the Pro Deo et Patria recognition, the first Lutheran religious emblem for youth.
1978: National Forum
- Lutheran Scouter Associations (LSAs) convened in Chicago to discuss forming a national support organization.
1980: National Lutheran Association of Scouters (NLAS)
- NLAS established with Ronald L. Adolphi, PhD as president.
- DNYAR and NLAS collaborated on the Lutheran Living Faith recognition, which later became the God and Life religious emblem (for high schoolers).
Late 1980s: Changes & Mergers
- DNYAR phased out due to the merger of three of the four member bodies into Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
- Lutheran Committee on Civic Youth Agency Relationships (LCCYAR) formed to liaise with BSA.
1994: Membership Shift
- NLAS transitioned to an individual membership organization, rather than being a collection of local LSAs.
2005: Merged Organization
- LCCYAR and NLAS merged, forming the National Lutheran Association on Scouting (NLAS).
- Today, NLAS works with organizations such as BSA, Girl Scouts of the USA, American Heritage Girls, Campfire, and 4-H.
Our History
Lutheran scouting roots run deep; Troop 2, chartered to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in College Point, NY, remains one of the fifteen oldest troops in the nation. The movement flourished in 1943 when eight Lutheran bodies formed the Lutheran Committee of Scouting, publishing the first “Scouting in the Lutheran Church” manual and establishing the Pro Deo et Patria religious emblem.
Throughout the mid-20th century, various joint committees facilitated the relationship between the Church and scouting agencies. In 1980, the National Lutheran Association of Scouters was formed to support these efforts, helping develop milestones like the Living Faith recognition (succeeded today by the God and Life emblem).
Following several denominational mergers and organizational shifts in the 1980s and 90s, the NLAS was officially established in 2005. Today, our board includes members from the ELCA and LCMS, continuing our legacy of service to youth in Scouting America, Girl Scouts USA, Camp Fire, and 4-H.
Source: “Historical Outline of Scouting in Lutheran Congregations”, edited by Ronald L. Adolphi, Ph.D. (08-04-2012)