In plain language, intellectual property is ownership of an idea.
There are different types of ownership:
- Copyright is ownership of a created work and gives the right to copy and distribute it.
- Trademarks are ownership of a symbolic representation.
- Patents are ownership of newly invented things.
- Trade secrets are owning specific, trade-specific techniques.
These rights, however, exist because they’re inherently built around competition against others.
- Without copyright, others could profit from a created work.
- No trademark enforcement means others could plagiarize and mislead people about an entity’s association with a product.
- Patents could otherwise be reproducible by others.
- Trade secrets would otherwise ruin a competitive advantage in a market.
In general, Christians most certainly have the right to profit from their work, and that includes the concept of an idea (1 Timothy 5:17-18).
- Creators, such as writers and designers, make their living by selling their work, and distributing it freely could harm their ability to make a living.
However, there is one clear exception to this rule, and that comes through intellectual property that has spiritual benefit.
- Paul’s attitude was that the Gospel is preached, irrespective of who or how (Philippians 1:15-18).
- A Christian leader should live by example (i.e., do everything through love), and that includes how they express ideas (1 Corinthians 16:14).
In light of that, the expression of Christian ideas toward the rest of the world should be as free as possible:
- Spiritual teaching which covers any spiritual topic.
- Deep philosophical and theological ideas that could more effectively guide the Body.
- Any aspects of self-help, such as Dave Ramsey’s financial management course or Love and Logic parenting.
- Practical wisdom that could generally help people in specific circumstances.
Unfortunately, copyright law in the United States has been irrevocably damaged by constant extensions.
- In the 19th century, copyright law lasted the same as a patent: 20 years.
- Now, at the earliest, copyright law extends 70 years out from its original publication date.
- In practice, that means a pastor’s grandchildren could sue for copyright infringement in 2060 over a book written in 1993.
To that end, every Christian creator should acquaint themselves with Creative Commons.
- If their motivation is to spread a message, every believer should want their work to be shared freely with others, and preferably non-commercially.
- Attribution shouldn’t be a significant priority, unless the purpose of the work is to have followup conversations about individuals’ needs.
- Forbidding derivative works may be wise, especially if it’s an important document (e.g., a Bible translation).
Christians can often be more restrictive with their intellectual property than the rest of the world.
- Most scientific publications are creative commons.
- Most software developers create at least some of their code as open-source, meaning others are freely able to use their code without restraint.
- Many secular influencers intentionally give away copies of their books for free.
- By contrast, many books used for Bible studies in a church context are sold full-price, without any opportunity for a discounted means for the poorer congregants.
- Some so-called Christian organizations have been known to rigorously enforce their copyright, to the point of lawsuits, including Bible translations.