On September 23, 2025, we launched the Global X S&P 500 Christian Values ETF (CHRI) to provide investors with large-cap U.S. equity exposure while aligning with Christian values. CHRI follows the S&P 500 Christian Values Screened Index, which screens out companies involved in activities that conflict with the principles outlined in Bountiful Financial’s Christian Evangelical Framework, including abortion, stem cell research, and controversial weapons.
While some may view values-based investing as a potential compromise on performance, CHRI represents how Christian value screens can be applied within a framework that remains closely tied to the overall exposure of the S&P 500. In a world where personal and institutional values increasingly shape financial decisions, CHRI offers an alternative to the traditional S&P 500, delivering broad market exposure with deeper alignment to faith-based principles. The fund empowers investors to pursue long-term growth while staying true to their beliefs.
Key Takeaways
- CHRI seeks to align investment decisions with Christian values by tracking an index that screens out companies that violate core moral principles.
- Leveraging Bountiful Financial’s Christian Evangelical Framework, the S&P 500 Christian Values Screened Index applies faith-based principles and rigorous screening to ensure Christian values alignment
- CHRI combines exclusionary activity screening with sector reweighting in an effort to align with the S&P 500, limiting drift from core equity holdings.
Faith-Based Investing: A Rising Priority
There is a growing demand for investment strategies that reflect personal values. Assets in faith-based ETFs and mutual funds surpassed $130 billion by mid-2024, marking a 14% increase over the prior 15 months1. Usage of screening services for such investments has also doubled since 20232. Religious organizations, endowments, and individuals are increasingly applying ethical frameworks to their portfolios. For Christian investors, this often means avoiding exposure to industries and practices that conflict with their faith, while still seeking to participate in the growth of the broader U.S. economy.
The Global X S&P 500 Christian Values ETF (CHRI) is built around this very philosophy. The S&P 500 Christian Values Screened Index removes companies that derive material revenue from activities deemed inconsistent with Christian values, as defined by Bountiful Financial’s Christian Evangelical Framework. This includes exclusions based on precise revenue thresholds from activities outlined below. In addition, all companies in the GICS Sub-Industry ‘Interactive Home Entertainment’ are excluded.
*Customized Weapons includes: Biological and Chemical weapons, Blinding Laser Weapons, Cluster Munitions, Incendiary Weapons, Anti-Personnel Mines and Depleted Uranium.
This methodology allows investors to maintain diversified exposure to U.S. large-cap equities while honoring their moral convictions, without the burden of individually screening each company.
Bountiful’s Faith-Driven Investment Framework
Bountiful Financial’s Christian Evangelical Framework integrates faith and finance by grounding investment standards in Scripture. Its structure ensures both moral clarity and financial discipline through rigorous screening and transparent governance.
At the core of the framework is a governance process designed to reflect Evangelical doctrine. The framework is developed in consultation with faith leaders and theological experts, ensuring that its standards are rooted in Christian principles. By combining community input with subject matter expertise, the framework applies consistent criteria that align with Evangelical values.
By combining theological integrity and quantitative rigor, the Bountiful Christian Evangelical Framework offers investors a disciplined yet faithful way to align their portfolios with their values, bridging the gap between spiritual convictions and financial goals.
Maintaining Market Exposure with a Values-Based Filter
Although CHRI involves values-based screens, it still draws from the S&P 500 universe and retains a large portion of the benchmark’s structure. The S&P 500 Christian Values Screened Index has over 90% overlap with the S&P 500’s constituents3, meaning that investors can expect similar sector exposure and overall risk characteristics. The core difference lies in the selective removal of companies that do not meet the ethical standards defined by Bountiful Financial’s Christian Evangelical Framework.
To preserve the exposure of the S&P 500 Index after exclusions are applied, the S&P 500 Christian Values Screened Index uses a sector neutral reweighting mechanism. At each rebalancing, the S&P 500 Christina Values Screened Index is adjusted to maintain the sector weights of the S&P 500. This is achieved by redistributing the weight of each excluded company to the remaining stocks within the same Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) sector. Additionally, each stock’s weight is proportional to both its market capitalization and its sector’s weight, helping preserve the overall composition and characteristics of the broader benchmark.
This method helps CHRI avoid introducing unintended biases or distortions caused by exclusions, allowing the fund to remain structurally aligned with the S&P 500. As a result, investors gain exposure to a familiar equity profile while integrating Christian values into their investment strategy.
Conclusion: A Values Aligned Approach to Core Equity Exposure
As values-based investing continues to evolve, CHRI offers a framework for incorporating Christian principles into a core equity allocation without sacrificing market participation. Built on the foundation of the S&P 500, CHRI applies targeted exclusions based on clearly defined moral criteria and redistributes weights to preserve broad exposure across sectors.
The result is a fund that reflects the structure and characteristics of the broader U.S. large-cap market, while avoiding companies involved in activities that conflict with the ethical standards outlined in the Bountiful Financial’s Christian Evangelical Framework. This balance potentially provides an avenue to pursue long-term financial goals with the added feature of faith-based alignment.
CHRI is designed for individuals, institutions, and organizations who believe their investments should reflect their convictions. In an environment where purpose increasingly drives investment decision making, CHRI presents a thoughtful and practical solution for those seeking to integrate their Christian values into how they allocate capital.
Related ETFs
CHRI – Global X S&P 500 Christian Values ETF
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