As This January Issue of The Christian Science Journal emphasizes, the Cross and Crown seal is the central emblem of Christian Science. The Cross and Crown is also a registered trademark of the Christian Science Board of Directors and has long been used on Mary Baker Eddy's writings and the Christian Science periodicals to indicate the authenticity of these products. Further, the Cross and Crown is also emblematic of the united focus on healing that branches and church members have with The Mother Church and each other, and this unity is a result of members and branches, individually and collectively, committing to practice Jesus' four imperative statements in the circular band around the Cross and Crown.
In order to represent this broader meaning of unity and commitment to healing, Christian Science Board of Directors is pleased to announce that beginning in January 2007, Christian Science branch churches and societies, Christian Science Reading Rooms, and Christian Science organizations at universities and colleges may request to use the Cross and Crown.
Because the Cross and Crown is a registered and valuable trademark, permissions for its use must be granted and documented in a careful and formal way. One must request and be formally granted permission for each use in order to use the Cross and Crown.
The Board will review and make a determination on each requested use. At this time, uses for which the Board intends to grant permission include:
• Exterior branch church, society, or Reading Room signage
• Stained-glass windows in branch church or society edifices
• Reading Room interior signage or walls
• Advertisements for branch or college organization services, meetings, or lectures (e.g., in newspapers, flyers, billboards)
• Branch church or society membership applications, brochures, stationery, newsletters, e-mails, or websites
• Video lectures or other broadcasts sponsored by The Mother Church
The Board will also consider requests for uses not listed here. However, the Board cannot grant requests for use on business cards, stationery, websites, or other promotional material of Journal -advertising Christian Science practitioners and nurses, nor for use by institutions or activities for Christian Scientists that are not officially affiliated with The Mother Church (nursing facilities, schools, camps, etc.).
Detailed information as to how to make a request and what information to provide will soon be available on The Mother Church website, www.churchofchristscientist.org. Request may be made by contacting the Trademark Administrator by e-mail at trademark@csps.com or by mail at The First Church of Christ, Scientist, 175 Huntington Ave., All-01, Boston, MA, US. 02115, Attn: Office of the General Counsel. We will respond to each request as quickly as possible, but please allow 4-8 weeks for processing.
When a request is granted, we will provide the exact form of the Cross and Crown to use. As we begin this endeavor, the Cross and Crown may only be used in English; however, we plan to add translations into other languages in the coming year. In order to defray costs associated with this permissions process, an administrative fee (approximately $45 US) will be charged for each requested use. Also, use outside of the United States may have special requirements and additional fees because of varying laws regarding trademark licensing.
It is hoped that as the Cross and Crown trademark is more widely used in the ways described, it will be increasingly seen by others as an identifying and unifying emblem of our Church.
