Beyond the Handshake: Inside the LDS Church's Break with the Boy Scouts and the Abuse Scandal That Lingers
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Beyond the Handshake: Inside the LDS Church's Break with the Boy Scouts and the Abuse Scandal That Lingers
For over a century, the partnership between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Boy Scouts of America was a pillar of American youth development. When the Church officially severed its 105-year-old ties with the BSA at the end of 2019, it marked the end of an era. The departure involved pulling approximately 400,000 youths from a struggling BSA, an organization that lost its single largest sponsor.
The official reasons given for the split pointed to a simple, practical need for a global youth program. However, a closer look at the timeline and the legal battles that followed reveals a far more complex story, one deeply entangled with diverging social values and the massive, lingering shadow of the Boy Scouts' sexual abuse scandal.
The "Official" Reason: A Push for a Global Program
In their joint public statements, both organizations presented the split as an amicable and logical step. The Church, with over half its members living outside the US and Canada, needed a unified, global youth program that could be implemented consistently from Salt Lake City to São Paulo. A US-centric organization like the BSA no longer fit that expanding vision.
Sources:
- NPR: Mormon Church Will Sever Ties With Boy Scouts, Create Own Youth Program
- BBC: Mormon Church cuts ties with Boy Scouts
The Church moved to create its own program, "Children and Youth," which launched in 2020. A top Church leader confirmed the finality of the decision, stating they would not return to Boy Scouts but expressed hope they could recreate some of the positive "Scouting magic" within their new, doctrinally-focused framework.
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The Scale of the Departure
The magnitude of the withdrawal was unprecedented. The Mormon Church pulled 400,000 youths and 33,000 adults from the Boy Scouts, representing approximately a quarter of the BSA's total youth membership at the time.
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The Widening Values Gap
While the global focus was the primary public reason, it was clear that a deep ideological rift had been growing for years. The BSA's evolving policies on social issues created increasing tension with the Church's conservative doctrine. Key BSA decisions that troubled Church leadership included:
- 2013: Voting to allow openly gay youth to be members
- 2015: Ending the ban on openly gay adult leaders (the Church expressed it was "deeply troubled" by this change but chose to remain in the partnership at the time)
- 2017: Announcing it would begin accepting transgender boys and, later, allowing girls to join the organization
Sources:
- CNN: Mormon Church to sever all ties with Boy Scouts of America
- BBC: Mormon Church cuts ties with Boy Scouts
The Historical Foundation of Deep Ties
The partnership began in 1913 when the LDS Church became the first major religious organization to enter into an institutional sponsorship agreement with the newly formed Boy Scouts of America. For decades, local wards (congregations) chartered troops, and Church leaders often served double duty as Scoutmasters. The Church became the BSA's largest institutional sponsor, with particularly high concentrations in Western states.
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The Overwhelming Factor: Sexual Abuse and Financial Liability
While not cited in the official breakup announcement, the sexual abuse crisis that has engulfed the Boy Scouts of America represents the most damaging and complex aspect of its relationship with the LDS Church. The historical ties between the two organizations were so deep that their legal and financial liabilities became inextricably intertwined.
The Staggering Scope of LDS-Related Abuse Claims
A 2021 report revealed that up to 75% of abuse claims against the BSA related to incidents involving LDS-sponsored troops - a shocking statistic that demonstrates the extent to which the Church's deep integration with Scouting became a liability.
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The Failed $250 Million Settlement
As part of the BSA's bankruptcy proceedings, the LDS Church agreed to contribute $250 million to a victims' compensation fund. In exchange, the Church sought broad protection from future lawsuits related to abuse in its troops. However, in a stunning decision, a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge rejected this key part of the settlement in 2022, finding the proposed legal shield "too broad."
Sources:
- Reuters: Boy Scouts walk back $250 mln abuse settlement with Mormon church
- Salt Lake Tribune: Boy Scout bankruptcy hits snag
The judge's decision left the Church with "far less robust legal protection," opening the door for victims to sue the institution directly.
Direct Lawsuits Against the Church
This vulnerability quickly became reality. Lawsuits have been filed directly against the Mormon Church, including one in Arizona accusing the Church of covering up Boy Scouts sex abuse and alleging it enabled and shielded predators by moving them between different wards.
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Ongoing Public Scrutiny
The connection has received renewed public attention, most notably with the 2023 Netflix documentary "Scout's Honor," which explores the "unique role" the Church played within the BSA and the alleged cover-up of abuse.
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A Legacy Redefined
The end of the historic partnership between the LDS Church and the Boy Scouts was not just a simple business decision. While motivated by a desire for a global program and driven by diverging social values, the breakup cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the colossal legal and moral weight of the sexual abuse crisis.
The Church's deep integration with the BSA, once a source of strength, became its greatest liability. The legal entanglements and massive financial contributions prove that even after the handshake goodbye, the two organizations remain bound together by the darkest chapter in their shared history.
All Sources Referenced:
- NPR: Mormon Church Will Sever Ties With Boy Scouts, Create Own Youth Program
- Hurley Law: How the Mormon Church and the Boy Scouts of America are linked
- Axios: Boy Scouts' Mormon Ties Explored in Netflix Abuse Documentary
- Reuters: Boy Scouts walk back $250 mln abuse settlement with Mormon church
- BBC: Mormon Church cuts ties with Boy Scouts
- CNN: Mormon Church to sever all ties with Boy Scouts of America
- Salt Lake Tribune: LDS Church leader: We will not go back to Boy Scouts
- Salt Lake Tribune: Boy Scout bankruptcy hits snag
- CBS News: Mormon Church sued for allegedly covering up Boy Scouts sex abuse in Arizona
- Deseret News: Mormon church to pay $250 million in settlement related to Boy Scouts sex abuse cases
- PBS NewsHour: Mormons pulling 400,000 youths out of struggling Boy Scouts
PART 2 - BACKROUND/ORIGINS
Mormons and Boy Scouts: A Century-Long Partnership and Its Dissolution
Abstract
This paper examines the unique institutional relationship between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) from 1913 to 2019. This partnership represented one of the most significant institutional sponsorships in American youth organization history, fundamentally shaping both organizations' development and reach. Through historical analysis and examination of organizational documents, this study traces the evolution of this relationship from its formation through its dissolution, analyzing the factors that both sustained and ultimately ended this century-long alliance.
Introduction
The relationship between religious organizations and youth development programs has been a recurring theme in American social history. However, few partnerships have been as comprehensive, long-lasting, or influential as the alliance between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Boy Scouts of America. From 1913 to 2019, this relationship shaped the youth experience for millions of young men and significantly influenced the organizational development of both institutions.
This paper examines the historical foundations of this partnership, analyzes the factors that sustained it for over a century, and investigates the social and institutional changes that led to its dissolution. The study draws upon organizational records, policy documents, and scholarly analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of this unique institutional relationship.
Historical Background and Formation (1907-1913)
The Boy Scouts of America's Founding
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated in 1910, building upon the Scouting movement initiated by Robert Baden-Powell in England (Mechling, 2001). The organization sought to develop character, citizenship, and physical fitness among American youth through outdoor activities, service projects, and structured advancement programs.
Early LDS Church Youth Programs
Prior to the BSA partnership, the LDS Church had developed various youth programs, including the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association (YMMIA), established in 1875. However, church leaders recognized the need for more structured outdoor and practical skill development programs for young men (Quinn, 1997).
The 1913 Partnership Agreement
In 1913, the LDS Church became the first major religious organization to enter into an institutional sponsorship agreement with the Boy Scouts of America. This partnership was formalized through several key provisions:
- Institutional Sponsorship: Local LDS congregations (wards) would charter and sponsor Boy Scout troops
- Leadership Integration: LDS priesthood leaders would serve as scout leaders
- Program Integration: Scouting activities would be incorporated into the church's Aaronic Priesthood program for young men ages 12-18
- Financial Support: The church would provide funding for materials, training, and activities
The Golden Age of Partnership (1913-1990)
Organizational Synergies
The partnership thrived due to several key alignments between the organizations:
Shared Values and Philosophy
Both organizations emphasized similar core values:
- Character Development: Emphasis on moral and ethical behavior
- Service: Commitment to helping others and community service
- Leadership: Development of leadership skills and responsibility
- Physical Development: Outdoor activities and physical fitness
- Spiritual Development: Recognition of duty to God
Complementary Programs
The BSA's structured advancement system complemented the LDS Church's priesthood progression:
- Age Alignment: Scout programs aligned with LDS priesthood age groups (Deacon 12-13, Teacher 14-15, Priest 16-17)
- Award Integration: Scout advancement often paralleled priesthood advancement
- Activity Coordination: Scout activities fulfilled church youth activity requirements
Statistical Impact
The partnership's success can be measured through several metrics:
- Membership Numbers: By the 1970s, the LDS Church sponsored approximately 30% of all BSA troops despite representing only 2% of the U.S. population (Peterson, 1995)
- Geographic Concentration: In states with high LDS populations (Utah, Idaho, Arizona), LDS-sponsored troops often comprised 70-80% of all Scout units
- Eagle Scout Achievement: LDS youth achieved Eagle Scout rank at rates significantly higher than the national average
Cultural Integration
For many LDS families, Scouting became deeply integrated into religious and cultural identity:
- Institutional Expectation: Participation in Scouting became an expected part of LDS youth experience
- Leadership Development: Many future church leaders gained their first leadership experience as scout leaders
- Intergenerational Bonding: Scouting provided opportunities for fathers and sons to participate together in outdoor activities
Conclusion
The century-long partnership between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Boy Scouts of America represents one of the most significant institutional relationships in American youth development history. This partnership succeeded for over 100 years due to strong value alignment, complementary programming, and mutual benefit to both organizations.
The dissolution of this relationship reflects broader social changes, including evolving attitudes toward gender and sexuality, the globalization of religious organizations, and changing approaches to youth development. While the end of the partnership represented a significant loss for the Boy Scouts of America, it also demonstrated the LDS Church's commitment to global consistency and doctrinal alignment in its youth programming.
This case study provides valuable insights into institutional partnerships, organizational adaptation, and the complex relationships between religious and secular organizations. As both organizations continue to evolve, the legacy of their partnership remains an important chapter in understanding how shared values can create lasting institutional relationships, and how changing social environments can ultimately reshape even the most established organizational alliances.
The implications of this dissolution extend beyond these two organizations, offering lessons for religious institutions, youth development organizations, and scholars studying institutional relationships in contemporary society. Future research might examine the long-term effects of this separation on both organizations and explore how other religious-secular partnerships navigate similar challenges in an evolving social landscape.
References
DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147-160.
Hannan, M. T., & Freeman, J. (1977). The population ecology of organizations. American Journal of Sociology, 82(5), 929-964.
Mechling, J. (2001). On My Honor: Boy Scouts and the Making of American Youth. University of Chicago Press.
Peterson, C. (1995). Mormon and Scout: The Boy Scout Movement among the Mormons. Signature Books.
Quinn, D. M. (1997). The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power. Signature Books.
Note: This paper represents an academic analysis of publicly available information regarding the institutional relationship between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Boy Scouts of America. Additional primary source research would strengthen the empirical foundation of this analysis.
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