Starbucks is the world's largest coffeehouse chain, founded by Howard Schultz in 1971. It is a cultural icon and daily part of many Christians' lives. Starbucks has made progressive activism — particularly LGBT advocacy — a deliberate corporate commitment that has generated significant controversy among Christian consumers.
Starbucks has been one of America's most consistently progressive major corporations. It was an early corporate supporter of same-sex marriage, has been a major funder of LGBT advocacy organizations, and has made diversity and inclusion a prominent part of its corporate identity. Its training programs have included progressive ideological content for employees.
The "War on Christmas" controversy beginning in 2015 — when Starbucks removed traditional Christmas imagery from its seasonal cups — became a flashpoint precisely because it reflected a real corporate decision to distance from Christian cultural expression. The red cup decision was deliberate brand positioning, not an oversight.
Many Christians drink Starbucks daily and the practical question is whether to continue. This is a Romans 14 disputable matter — avoiding Starbucks is not morally required. The relevant considerations: does your continued patronage signal approval to the company and your community? Are there local Christian-owned coffee shops that would be better recipients of your spending? Could you make the same quality coffee at home?
These are stewardship questions, not salvation ones. But Christians who care about corporate values alignment have legitimate grounds to reconsider Starbucks. Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby demonstrate that explicitly Christian corporate values are viable in the marketplace. Supporting locally-owned Christian businesses is always a better stewardship choice than major chains.
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