By Jay D. Schurz
As we strive to be good stewards, one of the challenges we face is in aligning our Investments with our beliefs. We are often oblivious to the fact that we have God honoring investment choices that allow us to glorify him and avoid those things that violate our moral compass. Would you knowingly own companies or mutual funds that profit from or support the abortion industry, are involved in human rights violations, pornography, and countries who persecute Christians? If you could identify and remove those companies that are involved in activities that are contrary to your beliefs and replace them with investments that align with who you are as a believer, would you?
WHAT IS BIBLICALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING (BRI)?
BRI is an investment decision making process that applies Christian values to issues facing shareholders and stakeholders regarding moral and social principles. This coupled with traditional financial analysis provides a platform for investment decisions that allows us to be faithful stewards of God’s gifts and respect the foundational beliefs of our shared Christian faith.
I have always said, “I should be able to identify a person’s beliefs based on a review of their checking account statement, tax return, and investment statements.”
What do your investments say about you? Could I identify your faith, values, and beliefs based on your behavior as an investor? Would you like to align your investment portfolio to represent who you are and what you believe in? Are you glorifying God with the four “T’s of Stewardship: Time, Talent, Temple and Treasures?
As people of faith, there may be issues that you feel strongly about that you either wish to support or avoid. Utilization of moral screening software can help you align your investment portfolio with “your” beliefs. I do not believe that we assume the sins of the companies we invest in, but you can align your portfolio with those issues of importance to you as the investor.
I encourage you to take advantage of our BRI screening options. We can provide a report to you and if you wish, provide recommendations for a Biblically Responsible Investment Portfolio based on your beliefs and risk tolerance.
ABOUT JAY SCHURZ
Jay has dedicated his life to providing education to those people seeking to align their faith and values with their stewardship. Jay spent the early part of his life serving in the U.S. Army as a Military Policeman for 12 years and has served in the financial industry since 1996.
