Chris Harrison puts faith, traditional marriage at center of new dating show to 'raise the bar' (exclusive)

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Entertainment Editor Wednesday, November 11, 2026

After two decades of helping people find love on television, Chris Harrison is returning to the dating genre to challenge modern dating culture by putting faith and traditional marriage at the center of the conversation.

The longtime host of "The Bachelor" told The Christian Post that his new FOX Nation series, "Chris Harrison's The Vow," was inspired by a growing spiritual awakening among young Americans, many of whom are abandoning dating apps for relationships grounded in shared values.

"I want this show to raise the bar of what's expected when you date," Harrison said. "I hope 'The Vow' gives people hope that this kind of love is out there. It does exist."

The six-episode series, premiering Nov. 11, follows 30-year-old bachelor and outspoken Christian Jace Cates as he navigates relationships with 10 women seeking lasting commitment and marriage. Unlike conventional reality dating programs, the series places particular emphasis on faith, purity, traditional marriage, communication and long-term compatibility.

Harrison, who serves as an executive producer alongside his wife, Lauren Zima, said the concept emerged from conversations about a cultural shift they were witnessing among younger generations.

"We started noticing this kind of pushback by this generation going to church more than their parents, dropping the dating apps, truly seeking something, companionship and just connection," Harrison told CP. "And the more we talk to people, the more they're asking, 'Where can we find love? Where do we find quality people?'"

"We thought, let's remove all the obstacles that get in the way of helping Jace and these ladies find love, as opposed to let's produce a crazy show with a lot of kind of moments where there's elimination ceremonies or trinkets and these things that will maybe create a moment, but is it really there to help them find love?" he continued.

"Can you find love in this modern world? Can people of faith, can people that are clearly searching for something different, have the opportunity to find love? That's the question we're asking."

Cates, who speaks openly about his relationship with God and the role prayer plays in his life in the show, said it was the overtly faith-centered approach of "The Vow" that enticed him to participate. 

"That's really one of the reasons I agreed to do the show, was just the faith foundation," Cates told CP. "Chris and I have talked about the faith renaissance that's happening across the United States, and just to be able to play a role in that is an honor of a lifetime for me."

Prayer primarily helped the Oregon native navigate the ups and downs of dating multiple women while staying focused on finding a lifelong partner.

"One thing I am proud of is that faith did lead this journey," he said. "I'm excited for audiences ... to see kind of the ups and downs of the show and how faith did play a role. Relying on Him 100 percent just felt so right, and really helped [keep] me at peace the entire time."

One of the most striking aspects of the premiere episode of "The Vow" is the willingness of several contestants to discuss their faith, including commitment to purity, prayer and waiting until marriage for sexual intimacy.

According to Harrison, he and his wife wanted to create an environment in the show where those conversations were natural.

"That was very intentional," he said. "Creating an environment where everybody felt comfortable and finding people of faith, but also hopefully showing that faith means so much to different people in a different way."

The women, he noted, come from different backgrounds and are at varying stages of their spiritual journeys. Some are lifelong believers, while others have embraced Christianity more recently.

"I loved the debate and these conversations," Harrison said. "I was excited to get to hear conversations and things being said that you normally will not hear on reality TV and in dating shows. Important conversations and questions that you should be having before you make the most important decision of your life, which is who you're going to spend the rest of your life with."

"It was important for us to create an environment where Jace and these ladies felt very comfortable to come in and put that on display, and know that it wasn't being used as a cocktail joke," he added. "It was actually being embraced and encouraged to have those conversations."

Harrison also applauded Cates for approaching marriage as a partnership in which both spouses support each other's callings.

"He said, 'Does she want to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company? Great, I will be your champion. Do you want to stay home and make sourdough bread? Great, I will be your champion,'" Harrison said. "It's a partnership. ... That's not going to be the same for everybody."

Cates said he grew up watching his parents model a loving, enduring marriage. So for him, the ideal wife is first and foremost a best friend and teammate.

"My parents have an incredible marriage. They live three minutes down the road, and they kind of showed me what love looks like," he said. "The dream girl is my best friend, my teammate, my person for life, someone that you can go through the ups and downs with." 

"I think it's always a relationship of three when you're building a relationship around God," he added.

The series also features appearances by Sean and Catherine Lowe, whose relationship began on Season 17 of "The Bachelor" and resulted in one of the franchise's most enduring marriages.

Harrison said the couple, who have become close friends with him and Zima, were particularly well suited to offer guidance because of their overt Christian faith and reality TV experience.

"First and foremost, they are very outspoken about their faith," Harrison said. "That is the bedrock and the foundation of their relationship and how important it is."

According to Harrison, Sean Lowe has reflected on not being able to make his faith as central on "The Bachelor" as he might have wanted.

"He really feels like he got lucky with Catherine because it wasn't her priority, and they found it later after the show," Harrison said. "He kind of wanted to come on and tell Jace to really, first of all, keep believing in what you stand for, and be proud of your faith, and be outspoken about your faith."

Harrison, who spent 20 years hosting "The Bachelor" before departing the franchise in 2021, said that years of watching people navigate romance and heartbreak have made him more empathetic and less inclined to judge others based on isolated moments.

"I think it's made me a better listener, more empathetic, more understanding," Harrison said. "Life's not so black and white. There's the gray area."

"I'm very curious about why people are who they are and where they came from, as opposed to ... we're very quick, even more so now in this modern day and age of social media and everything, to label people very quickly and put them in this box. Being curious and being a good listener makes you a better father, makes you a better friend, a better husband."

Beyond helping Cates find love, Harrison hopes the series encourages men to approach relationships with greater maturity and respect.

"There's a reason Jace is our guy," he said. "I think, hopefully, among many things, 'The Vow' does is raise the bar out there, especially for men. I want these women to see that a guy like Jace exists, a man of faith, a man of morals, a man of values. He is not a perfect man. There was one of those who walked the earth, and we all know who that was."

Harrison said the show also seeks to demonstrate that even when relationships don't work out, people should treat one another with dignity.

"He is a very good man. He's a gentleman. I want people to know that exists out there," Harrison said of Cates. "And Heaven forbid if things don't work out and you break up, you sit someone down, you look them in the eye, you have a conversation. That's what a gentleman does."

For Christian singles who feel discouraged by modern dating culture, Cates offered a reminder to keep persevering and trust in God's timing.

"I would say very simply, just keep the faith," he said. "If you continue to be intentional and put God first, you will be able to find that person when the timing is right. Continue to dive into Scripture, keep trusting God, and it's going to happen when the timing is right," he said.

Harrison echoed that sentiment, citing his own experiences of professional upheaval and finding love with Zima, whom he married in 2023.

"As someone who went through a tumultuous time in my life, professionally, but also found the love of my life later, you never know when those blessings are going to come," he said. "I have found that God doesn't always wrap those blessings up in a cute little bow and put it under the tree when you want it. It's on His time, and so be patient. Don't lose the faith."

The first two episodes of "Chris Harrison's The Vow" premiere Nov. 11 on FOX Nation, with new episodes released Wednesdays through the Dec. 9 finale.