A new trend is gaining traction in the investment community and gaining popularity across America. This strategy, Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI), may be worth your attention, whether you are a devout believer, a prudent manager of your money, or simply someone who has leaned more into your faith.
What is Biblically responsible investing?
With the help of BRI, investors seek to align their financial decisions with biblical principles. It’s not just about return on investment. It’s about honoring the Lord in how we invest the resources He has entrusted to us. In short, you invest in companies that align with Christian values and you avoid companies whose business practices or social positions conflict with those values.
Over the past thirty-plus years of my investing career, I have seen socially responsible investing, ethical investing, and the huge push for ESG investing, and now we are starting to see the rise of Biblically responsible investing.
With the help of BRI, investors seek to align their financial decisions with biblical principles. (Boonchai Wedmakawan via Getty Images)
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Why is it gaining momentum now?
There are a few reasons:
- More and more Christian investors are asking themselves, “Where is my money going?” They no longer assume that funds are morally neutral. They realize that their investment dollars may support companies, causes or agendas in America that they disagree with.
- The rise of vetted funds, ETFs and mutual funds marketed specifically to faith-based investors has opened the door for those who want their portfolios to reflect more than just market returns.
- The broader shift to values-based investing (SRI, ESG) has created both the demand and infrastructure for BRI. But BRI applies a clear biblical filter, given the ongoing trend of people reconsidering their general faith.
How does it work in practice?
There are several mechanisms at play in BRI for how the funds are invested:
- Negative Screening – Companies that engage in practices that conflict with biblical values (for example, industries such as abortion services, pornography, gambling, alcohol and tobacco, or companies that support agendas that conflict with pro-life and pro-family principles) are generally excluded.
- Positive Screening or Confirmation – Companies whose business practices reflect biblical virtues (e.g., good resource management, ethical employment practices, family-friendly business models) are considered opportunities to add to a particular fund.
- Stewardship Mindset – Investors see themselves not simply as owners seeking profit, but as stewards of God-given resources, and they invest with both faith and finances in mind.
With BRI, investing becomes a way to reflect your values, your beliefs and your legacy. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Which funds offer this approach?
If you want to invest this way, here are some examples of funds and ETFs that market themselves as vehicles for biblically responsible investing. (These are just a few examples, but do your homework before investing.)
- BIBL (Inspire 100 ETF) – An ETF that uses a proprietary “Inspire Impact Score™” to rate companies on how well they align with biblical values.
- PRAY (FIS Biblically Responsible Risk Managed ETF) – An actively managed ETF that not only aligns investments with Christian values (filtering out companies related to abortion, adult entertainment, gambling, etc.), but also seeks to dynamically adjust risk exposure.
- CATH (Global
Are there benefits – besides the spiritual component here?
- Conscience Alignment: You can rest better knowing that your investments do not indirectly support causes you oppose.
- Competitive Returns: The good news is that faith-based investing doesn’t automatically mean sacrificing returns. Of course, there are no guarantees that these funds will perform, but you may sleep better at night knowing your money is invested in companies that align with your values. Some research shows that BRI-screened portfolios perform similarly to conventional portfolios over time.
- Purposeful Investing: Investing becomes more than just accumulation and more than tithing at church. It becomes a way to reflect your values, your faith, your legacy.
Biblically responsible investing connects the market with the bank and the balance sheet with the Bible. (Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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Is it time for you to start investing biblically?
If you are someone who believes that “Whatever you do, do all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31) applies to the way you make money and not just the way you spend it, then BRI may be a tool worth considering. If you view your investments solely as a profit machine with no moral reflection, it may be time to turn the page.
Biblically responsible investing could be a fad and become more permanent as a new, powerful culture emerges here in America. For Christian investors who want their money to reflect their faith, for stewards who believe God owns everything, and for families thinking about the legacy of their wealth, it offers a powerful option. One that connects the market with the bank and the balance sheet with the Bible.
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