Last updated: August 27, 2021
These guidelines are provided to help support Christian Science Reading Rooms who wish to create or show print and/or electronic displays in their windows. Within some legal limits, what you show in your Reading Room windows is up to your own inspiration and creativity in responding to the needs of your community.
You can find additional information about displays in Reading Rooms, including links to a range of approved promotional PDFs for use in your window displays free of charge, on the Reading Room Resources section of ChristianScience.com. If you would like assistance with printing these PDFs or creating custom window displays, check out the Approved Provider program.
These guidelines are not meant to be legal advice specific to the display needs of your Reading Room. Instead, since many of the products and publications sold by The First Church of Christ, Scientist and its affiliate The Christian Science Publishing Society (together “TFCCS”) include rights owned by third parties and/or TFCCS, these guidelines are provided to help Reading Rooms identify and avoid potential issues relating to copyright and trademark infringement, or other legal concerns. While we cannot give technical advice regarding electronic displays, there is a lot of relevant information available online.
While these guidelines pertain to print and electronic displays for use in Reading Room windows, these displays may also be used at local events such as health or book fairs.
Unless expressly permitted in these guidelines, the content authorized for these window displays is not authorized to be posted on the Internet (including branch church websites, social media, etc.). Please see the Website Guidelines for materials which are specifically approved for use online.
Please read these guidelines carefully. As a general rule, if these guidelines do not give express permission to use something, please contact info@christianscience.com for further information. These guidelines may not address every issue relating to your window displays. Please check this page periodically for updates to these guidelines, and let us know if you have suggestions for topics to add.
Please try to keep date-sensitive materials relatively current in your displays.
Use of Mary Baker Eddy's Writings
Please attribute all quotations from Mary Baker Eddy's writings. Please use full sentences or paragraph quotes, or begin or end partial sentences at a colon or semicolon. Do not underline, italicize, bold, or highlight portions of quotes to add emphasis separate from what the author wrote. Avoid mixing quotes, or breaking up quotes including over multiple electronic display screens. Present each quote on its own unique page, card, or screen, if applicable.
Copyright notices and specific permission are generally required for use of Mrs. Eddy’s letters and for translations of her published writings. For more information and for permission to use such materials, please contact permissions@csps.com.
In addition to showing Mrs. Eddy’s name as author, please include a citation to the appropriate book or article from which the quote is taken on each page, card, or screen. An appropriate citation could be:
— Mary Baker Eddy
Full title of book, p. #
Promoting The Christian Science Monitor
Other than using the promotional materials as described on this page, those seeking guidance on promoting the Monitor should see its Terms of Service and Legal Information.
Guidelines for Reformatting Articles from Christian Science JSH-Online for Reading Room Window Displays
Reading Rooms wishing to reformat articles from The Christian Science Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel, or The Herald of Christian Science for display as posters may do so in accordance with the following guidelines.
Please first carefully review the Permissions information on Christian Science JSH-Online.
We suggest you consider working with an Approved Provider for reformatting articles.
You must display the texts of reformatted articles in their entirety, without edits, adaptations or excerpting. You may not use bold, italics, larger type or other methods to add emphasis that is not in the original article.
You may not add new text material to reformatted articles.
You should carefully proofread reformatted articles to ensure accuracy.
You may display reformatted articles as print posters and in electronic displays in Reading Room windows or at local events such as book or health fairs. For this purpose, you may make up to two copies. Reformatted articles are also authorized for use as handouts, up to 100 copies. No other use in electronic media may be made without further permission from TFCCS.
Think carefully about which articles would be most helpful for public use. Generally these articles would be current rather than from the past, use language that someone new to Christian Science will understand, and avoid accounts about highly personal topics or minor children. Please see https://jsh.christianscience.com/permissions for more information.
Please follow these layout guidelines:
Title font: Easy to read typeface, serif or sans serif. Examples: Myriad, Helvetica, Arial, Minion, Futura, Frutiger, etc. Should be easily distinguished from body text based on size, style, and color.
Body font:
For print: Easy to read typeface, serif. Examples: Minion, Times New Roman, Caslon, Garamond, Georgia, etc.
For digital: Easy to read typeface, sans serif. Examples: Myriad, Helvetica, Arial, Open Sans, etc.Text size: Text should be large enough to read at a distance. Title text should be noticeably larger than body text to create hierarchy. Author names should be closer to the size of the body text than to the title text.
Layout: Text can be laid out in single or multiple columns, but text width should not exceed ~12 words per line to allow for easier reading.
Margins: There should be enough clear space around the article to allow for "breathing room". It should not feel crowded.
Pull-quotes: Pull-quote text can be formatted to stand out from body copy using special text treatment/color.
Images: You may not incorporate any image(s) into reformatted articles, even if the article was originally published with image(s), although a background of a single color may be used.
You must include the following elements in reformatted articles as they appeared in the original print issue or the JSH-Online version:
Title - at top
Author’s name - at top or bottom, as published in the magazine
Source information including original publication and date: e.g., “From The Christian Science Journal, July 2018.” - at top or bottom. Note that some content on JSH-Online was first published on JSH-Online, not in one of the print periodicals.
Copyright credit: e.g., “© 2018 The Christian Science Publishing Society | JSH-ONLINE.com” - at bottom. Note that the copyright year indicated should be the year of the original publication of the article.
Use of Testimonies Published by TFCCS
No partial pages from magazines may be used without express permission; this includes testimonies. However, individual testimonies may be printed out from the article view in Christian Science JSH-Online for Reading Room window displays (see the JSH-Online Permissions guidelines as well as the guidelines for reformatting articles above). Please be alert that some testimonies involve sensitive subjects that may not be appropriate for public display. Keep in mind that your audience may include viewers of all ages and backgrounds. A good test of whether to display a testimony is to ask if you would want your name attached to it in a public space.
Use of Testimonies Not Published by TFCCS
Christian Scientists are encouraged to send their testimonies of healing to the Journal, Sentinel, or Herald for verification and publication in the TFCCS periodicals. Mary Baker Eddy called the periodicals “the organs of this Church” in the Church Manual, and she entrusted the Christian Science Board of Directors with the duty “to see that these periodicals are ably edited and kept abreast of the times.” (see Art. 8, Sect. 14).
Mary Baker Eddy established the CSPS as the primary publishing activity for her Church. Since 1883, TFCCS periodicals have served the vital role of publishing testimonies. TFCCS publishes testimonies only after they have been verified by others who know of the testifier’s healing or can verify the integrity of the testifier in sharing his or her healing.
This verification process supports the factual accuracy and credibility of the testimonies published in the periodicals, which become permanent additions to the official record of Christian Science healing.
Branch churches should give careful consideration before choosing to display testimonies that have not been published by TFCCS and should observe the following guidelines if they choose to display such unpublished testimonies:
Only display testimonies from members of your branch church, and not testimonies from unrelated branches or third parties.
Be sure the testimony is related in a way that would be understandable to someone new to Christian Science and that you can verify the integrity of the account of the healing experience.
Display your members’ testimonies under a notice akin to the following: “The following testimonies are given by members of our local [Location] church who have experienced healing through sole reliance on Christian Science. You are invited to visit our Sunday church services or Wednesday testimony meetings to learn more about Christian Science and healing.”
Please distinguish your members’ testimonies from those published by CSPS by posting the following notice: “To explore an official collection of healings which have been verified and are happening all over the world, visit jsh.christianscience.com.”
Your branch should notify your local Christian Science Committee on Publication whenever you plan to display testimonies from your members.
Use of Promotional Materials Provided in the Dropbox Repository
A Dropbox Repository of promotional PDFs for use in your window displays is linked to from the Reading Room Resources section of ChristianScience.com, or for your convenience you can order prints from an Approved Provider. The approved PDFs in the Dropbox Repository include, but are not limited to:
promotional posters and covers for TFCCS periodicals
advertisement flyers for other products distributed by TFCCS, and
general topical materials (Christmas, Thanksgiving, general use posters, etc.)
LIMITATIONS ON USE OF PROMOTIONAL PDFs:
PDFs may not be physically or electronically modified in any way, including overlaying images or text on them (however, it is acceptable to tastefully add a price or a brief marketing note such as “New” or “Now available”, etc.)
PDFs may in some cases be designed specifically with an empty text block to allow you to add contact information, which is an approved exception to the "no modification" guideline
PDFs must be used in their entirety
PDFs may only be used to promote the publication or product represented
PDFs may not have any element removed or manipulated for any reason, including use in creating new advertising for the product depicted or in creating advertising for other products or services, including church services and lectures
PDFs may not be used on the Internet or other electronic media, including in emails (see Website Guidelines)
Use of Materials from TFCCS Not Provided in the Dropbox Repository
Generally, we recommend using printouts or PDFs of full articles from Christian Science JSH-Online for your window displays, rather than copying from the magazines. However, full uncut pages from The Christian Science Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel and The Herald of Christian Science may be used in window displays. See below regarding the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons.
If you choose to display full pages from the magazines, please be sure to check the “Reprint and Promotional Information” printed in each issue, as certain images and other material (especially in magazine issues from past decades) may be unavailable for such uses.
Although pages from the printed magazines may only be used as uncut full pages, you may also use a brief text-only “pull-quote” of a few words up to a sentence or two, such as you might see in a magazine, presented in proximity to the full page from which the pull-quote is taken. Be sure to give proper attribution on the pull-quote to the author, article title, and name/date of the magazine. Articles should never be displayed with images that were not part of the original publication in the magazines. See below for information regarding use of images.
Use of Christian Science Quarterly® Bible Lessons
The Bible Lessons published in the Christian Science Quarterly (“Quarterly”) are copyrighted by TFCCS, and except as described here are not authorized for reproduction in Reading Room displays.
You may display a copy in your window of a printed Full-Text Edition open to any page, including the cover. However, you may not reproduce, copy or enlarge, physically or electronically, any pages other than the cover, and the pages containing the lesson Subject, Golden Text and Responsive Reading, which must be shown as published by TFCCS, including bible attributions and any copyright notices.
When displaying or promoting the Quarterly, please keep the display current (not more than 2 weeks in advance of the relevant Sunday), and please take down displays within one week after the applicable week of the Lesson. For more detailed information on sharing the Bible Lessons, please see Section 3 of the Bible Lesson Terms of Service.
No Permission for Audio
Please note that public displays for Reading Room windows should not have any audio component, whether music or spoken word. There are complex copyright issues involved with recording and public performance of music in audio-visual productions. The best solution is to make silent displays. Furthermore, playing audio on a public street can be a violation of local noise ordinances. Even when it is legally allowed to have speakers on the street, audio has a way of imposing on the private thoughts of passers-by that can be intrusive. Note that certain audio-visual programming made available to Reading Rooms by TFCCS contain audio which is appropriate to play inside your Reading Room, but not to the public on the street outside. Examples would include audio-visual programs from Christian Science JSH-Online or The Christian Science Monitor, the Daily Lift podcast, Annual Meeting videos, etc. Please contact opendoors@csps.com if you have questions about this.
Use of Images from Christian Science Magazines
Images from the magazines cannot be used alone, zoomed in on, or used out of the context in which they were originally published. If copying an image from a magazine, please observe the following additional guidelines: (1) Please only use full pages; (2) full-page images must include the adjacent page of written content as it appears in the magazine; (3) all credits for images must be preserved, including model disclaimers if any; and (4) copies of covers must include credits and any model disclaimers (usually found on one of the inside front pages).
NOTE: There can be serious legal implications to using images incorrectly, including, among other things, copyright infringement, violations of rights of privacy and publicity, defamation, breach of license terms, etc. TFCCS obtains privacy releases for its use of images of recognizable people. Our releases DO NOT APPLY to your use of any image, except as permitted in these guidelines. Also, our licenses to use photos from third parties permit their use to promote the sale of the magazines, meaning the photos must be reproduced in the context in which they were published by TFCCS. This precludes uses such as zooming in on a photo or taking it out of the original context.
Use of Images Obtained from Third Parties or Taken by Yourself
If you want to use an image that is owned by a third party, you need to get permission from the owner. We strongly discourage use of any images of recognizable individuals, even when such images are licensed from photo stock agencies. In many cases, the contracts that these agencies offer do not provide adequate legal protection in the form of model releases or indemnification, or do not actually cover promotional or advertising uses, such as window displays. Incorrect use of photos can subject the creator of the display, as well as any Reading Room which shows the display, to legal liability.
If you take your own photos and do not have a privacy release signed by the individuals depicted (or by the parents of a minor depicted), do not use the photos!
Even when an image does not depict a person, it is possible to get into legal difficulty. For example, using a Bible quote stating “If the Lord build not the house, they labor in vain who build it,” when placed next to a photo of a recognizable building, could be interpreted as defaming the architect or builders of such building. Please be mindful of how your displays could be interpreted. (We are unable to provide legal advice in this regard.)
Depicting Youths
Please be particularly sensitive to images of and testimonies by youths. Young people, and images of them, may have different legal requirements and potential ramifications than those of adults.
Promoting Products other than Magazines
Images of book covers, CDs and other products sold by TFCCS, as well as descriptions of those products found on the Online Shop can be used solely for purposes of promoting the sale of such products. These images may not be used for other purposes or in other contexts, such as to provide pleasing design elements, illustrate metaphysical points, etc. Cover images may only be used in full. No use of images from the interior of books and/or other products may be used without specific permission from TFCCS.
NOTE: The magazines and other publications from TFCCS have been edited. Please do not editorialize or republish TFCCS products and publications. Please use the descriptions of these items that can be found on the Online Shop, and when available the promotional materials available in the Reading Room Resources section of ChristianScience.com, rather than devising your own descriptions. In some countries, legal consequences can result from making promises or claims about potential health benefits from reading Science and Health or practicing Christian Science, including those which can be construed as having a medical nature (for example “This book can heal you of influenza”). Be sure to check with a lawyer in your country if there is any doubt.
Use of Materials from TFCCS Websites other than those Provided in the Dropbox Repository
Generally, publicly-accessible pages from the public-facing TFCCS websites (including without limitation CSMonitor.com, Christian Science JSH-Online.com, christianscience.com, marybakereddylibrary.org, quarterly.christianscience.com, biblelesson.christianscience.com, and concord.christianscience.com) may be displayed in whole. Just as with the magazines, no zooming in on images is permitted. Live electronic display of public web pages is also acceptable. That said, each of these sites has its own specific requirements and standards for displaying its materials. For more information, please visit those sites' Terms of Service and Permissions pages or contact info@christianscience.com. Please be sure that the view in your display does not obscure any credits, captions, copyright notices or other attributions to authors and publications that appear on the source website.
NOTE: Be sure that websites are clearly identified with the appropriate homepage URL. Also, certain areas of the websites are not intended to be displayed publicly, such as areas containing information clearly intended for a non-public audience (e.g., Reading Room resources), or any area that requires a subscription or password to log into.
Use of Materials from The Mary Baker Eddy Library
For use of historical materials, including letters and photographs, from The Mary Baker Eddy Library, please contact permissions@csps.com.
For use of images of the Mapparium or other current Library programs, contact grahams@mbelibrary.org.
Use of the Cross and Crown Trademark
The Cross and Crown design is a registered trademark of the Christian Science Board of Directors. To use the trademark on Reading Room signage, windows, websites, or informational brochures, a formal license must be granted through the Trademark Administrator of TFCCS. Further information may be found here.
The Cross and Crown trademark normally appears on periodicals, books and other products distributed by TFCCS. These publications and products may be displayed in Reading Room windows as described in these guidelines without the need of obtaining a trademark license.
Photos of The Mother Church
Suitable for hanging in your Reading Room or branch church, these archival, exhibition-quality framed and unframed prints of photographic images from around The Mother Church and the Christian Science Plaza are available for purchase online. NOTE: These photo prints are only intended for interior display, and are not authorized for use in Reading Room window displays. To request permission for photos of The Mother Church for window displays, please use the image request form here.