In 2007, the Christian Science Board of Directors announced in the Journal the introduction of a new program allowing licensing of the Cross and Crown seal. This program is directed toward Christian Science branch churches and societies, Christian Science Reading Rooms, Committees on Publication, and Christian Science organizations at colleges and universities so all of these entities may represent genuine Christian Science services, publications, and products in their local jurisdictions. Through this licensing arrangement, official affiliates of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, have the opportunity to unite with one another in presenting the Cross and Crown as an identifying emblem of the worldwide activities of this Church and to extend the global reach of its mission to "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons."
The Cross and Crown symbolizes the united focus on healing that branches and church members have with The Mother Church and with each other. This unity is a result of members and branches commiting to practice Jesus' statements that appear in the circular band in the trademark symbol.
While more than 200 branch churches and Reading Rooms have enthusiastically embraced the licensing program, we hope to hear from many more in the months ahead. So far, requests have come from North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. With the granting of these licenses, the Cross and Crown now appears on church and Reading Room building signs, websites, stationery, brochures, and advertising—a presence that not only helps protect the emblem as a legal trademark, but also shows connection between individuals and communities around the world to The Mother Church. Following are two examples:
• ". . . my husband just came back from the Mayor's Interfaith Council meeting [w]here he gave out some material on our branch church letterhead [with the Cross and Crown]. The Chair was so impressed by the letterhead that he asked to have lunch the Committee on Publication to talk about our theology."
• "Yesterday I was in the Reading Room, and I had a man come in who was a physician. He wanted to know what the 'sign' meant—Heal the sick, etc. We had a good visit about Mrs. Eddy, her book Science and Health, and The Christian Science Monitor. It was the seal that prompted him to come into our Reading Room."
If you have not yet joined this global network, would you consider so soon—and giving the Cross and Crown a greater presence in your community? Generally, licenses are granted for the uses listed below. Licenses for the Cross and Crown seal cannot be granted for use on the promotional material of Journal-advertising practitioners or nurses, or organizations such as Christian Science schools and camps that are not legally affiliated with The Mother Church.
Currently, the Cross and Crown with English text is the most widely available version of the trademark, having registrations in many countries. The Board of Directors also plans to offer the German, Spanish, French, and Portuguese translations of the seal for license as soon as a broader range of supporting trademark registrations is in place under local laws.
For more information on the permissions process, visit www.churchofchristscientist.org and click on the Cross and Crown trademark information link. Please note that the licensing fees charged by the Board of Directors help to cover only the administrative costs of the Cross and Crown licensing program. The actual cost to register and periodically renew the Cross and Crown trademarks around the world is absorbed by The Mother Church. The fee schedule below is also posted online and applies to all requests with the exception of a few cases where fees may need adjustment to meet a country's particular requirements in trademark and licensing law.
Please contact the Trademark Administrator at trademark@csps.com with any questions. Copies of the Cross and Crown guidelines may be obtained by writing to The First Church of Christ, Scientist, 210 Massachusetts Avenue, P03-25, Boston, Massachusetts, US, 02115, Attn: Sally Ulrich.
We welcome your applications to use the Cross and Crown seal. We will respond as quickly as possible, but please allow four to six weeks for processing. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this special opportunity to extend the presence of the Cross and Crown in your communities and around the world.
Fee Schedule
To help defray costs associated with this permission process, the fees are as follows:
USD $250 per use for the following:
• Exterior branch church, society, or Reading Room signage
• Long-term large format advertisements (one year in duration or longer), e.g., billboards, airport kiosks
USD $100 per use for the following:
• Reading Room interior signage or walls
• Branch church or society membership applications, brochures, stationery, newsletters, business cards, usher or Reading Room staff name tags, or websites
• Broadcasts provided by The Mother Church, e.g., video Bible Lesson
•Short-term large format advertisements(less than one year in duration), e.g., lecture banners, buses
USD $50 per use for the following:
• Advertisements for branch or college organization services, meetings or lectures, e.g., newspaper, flyers. Licenses for these uses will be valid for one year. A new lecture ad requires a new request. However, republication of an identical advertisement for church services does not require an additional permission unless there are changes in the ad design.
Fees for uses not listed may vary.
