My faith journey and vision for faith-consistent investing (FCI) – Dave Zellner
Faithful Finance – our popular course on FCI returns on Oct 29
Our next FCI Interest Group meeting focuses on Islamic finance – Dec 5
An intense few days with 'the heirs of hope' in Northern Ireland – Martin Palmer
What's the oldest currency still in use and traded in the world today?
My faith journey and my vision for faith-consistent investing – Dave Zellner
In a deeply personal article for FaithInvest, our new Executive Chair Dave Zellner reflects on how his personal faith journey has shaped his approach to investing
I was raised in a devout Roman Catholic household where faith played a central role in shaping my values and worldview. From a young age, I attended Catholic grammar school, rarely missed a service, and even made it a point to attend Holy Day of Obligation masses, regardless of where I was, even when traveling for business. My dedication led me to become an altar boy during grade school.
I often reflect on how I memorised the Latin responses only to find out when I applied to become an altar boy that the Church was about to transition to English response! Though my faith has evolved over time, my deep respect for those who dedicate their lives to serving God and making the world a better place remains steadfast.
This respect has profoundly influenced my personal and professional journey, particularly in how I view the intersection of faith and finance.
Two core beliefs have driven my investment philosophy, which I believe are particularly relevant to faith-aligned investing – the importance of focusing on long-term success and the power of investing for positive impact. Click the button to read Dave's article in full.
The course has been very well received, as the comments below show. It is designed to give faith groups the practical tools and strategies to integrate their faith principles into their investment strategies, and invest in line with their values. It runs from October 29 to November 18 and costs £295 per person; a limited number of bursaries are available. Spaces are limited, so sign up early! Register your interest below.
"[The course] has empowered me to embody the knowledge and own what we are about as a congregation."
"...the confidence it has given me to feel more able to get involved in discussions with our investment advisors."
"The whole area is not as daunting as I had imagined it to be, hence my shift in confidence."
FaithInvest founding president Martin Palmer was in Northern Ireland recently for a packed series of events focused on peace, justice and environmental stewardship – and came away full of stories of hope: 'I was so encouraged and so impressed by what I heard – from everyone but particularly the sixth formers who came to talk to a group of politicians.
'These young people are the heirs of hope, as were so many of the people I met – and I was struck by the role of the laity here, which was so impressive,' he said.
The events were organised by Corrymeela, Northern Ireland's oldest peace and reconciliation organisation, and the 'Join the Dots Together’ network, founded last year to connect people, communities and actions to create a sustainable future for all.
FaithInvest's quarterly FCI gathering: Thursday 5 December
10.00 EST | 15.00 GMT | 16.00 CET | 17.00 EAT
In our next FCI Interest Group Forum on Thursday 5 December, we dive into the world of Islamic finance, which is projected to grow to US$6.67 trillion by 2027. With the help of leading Islamic finance experts, we will also look at how the recently published Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth will help align investments with ethical and sustainable practices.
What is the world's oldest currency still in use and traded today? The choices, in alphabetical order, are the British pound, Haitian gourde, Russian rouble, Serbian dinar and US dollar.
Help us develop tools & resources to support others
If you are able to, please consider supporting FaithInvest. By donating to FaithInvest, your gift helps us develop the free-to-access tools, programmes and resources needed to support faith groups across as wide a range of geographies and capacities as possible.
%20copy.jpeg?upscale=true&width=518&upscale=true&name=20240921%20(1)%20copy.jpeg)
