Exclude:
The third and most widely recognized aspect of a well-rounded approach to Biblically Responsible Investing is exclusion. While endorsement comes first and engagement plays a meaningful role, there are times when faithful stewardship requires choosing not to own certain businesses.
Exclusion means intentionally avoiding companies whose core activities or business practices are fundamentally inconsistent with Biblical ethics. This is not about disagreement or imperfection. It is about clear moral boundaries. Some companies generate profits in ways that directly undermine human dignity, the sanctity of life, or the moral order Scripture affirms. In those cases, ownership is not neutral.
Examples of companies that may warrant exclusion include:
- A pharmaceutical company that sells widely used consumer products, but also manufactures abortifacient drugs, develops products derived from fetal tissue obtained through abortion, or offers to cover employee travel costs for the purpose of obtaining abortions across state lines.
- A streaming company that includes pornography among its content offerings.
- An online retailer that sells explicit or degrading products alongside its broader merchandise.
- A retail company that actively promotes an LGBT agenda through corporate donations, political lobbying, or product campaigns designed to advance sexual ideology. This may include merchandise designed to normalize these views among adults and children.
The purpose of exclusion is not to punish companies or make a statement. It is about responsibility. When you own shares of a company, your returns are generated by that company’s business activities. Ownership implies participation, and participation carries moral weight.
Many investors are surprised to learn how deeply certain practices are embedded in companies they have owned for years. Exclusion serves as a necessary safeguard. It helps ensure that capital is aligned with conscience and that stewardship is exercised with integrity before the Lord.
In practice, exclusion works alongside endorsement and engagement. We seek to support what is good. We engage where influence is possible. And when a company’s activities place it clearly outside Biblical boundaries, we exclude with clarity and conviction.
At Oakstreet Financial, we help faith-driven Americans Invest on Purpose. We build a plan that brings confidence and peace. If you would like to explore whether this approach is right for you, we invite you to start a conversation with us.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP
This content and the Endorse, Engage, and Exclude framework referenced here are adapted from Robert Netzly’s Biblically Responsible Investing: On Wall Street as It Is in Heaven and are applied within Oakstreet Financial’s broader stewardship-focused investment process. Robert’s book is available at https://canonpress.com/products/biblically-responsible-investing-a-wake-up-call-to-christians-everywhere.