In a clear and unanimous decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 means biological sex. The terms ‘woman’, ‘man’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010) refer to biological sex, the Supreme Court has judged.
In a unanimous decision, the UK’s highest court ruled in favour of For Women Scotland’s appeal against Scottish Government guidance that allows men who identify as female to take women-only positions on company boards. Explaining their judgment, Lord Hodge, Lady Rose and Lady Simler – supported by Lord Reed and Lord Lloyd-Jones – said: “Interpreting ‘sex’ as certificated sex would cut across the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ and thus the protected characteristic of sex in an incoherent way.” Sex means biology.
Did we need a court to tell us this? Before we mount our high horses, from a Christian perspective, we only need to scan the state of the UK church to realise our values and practices have been drifting away from their moorings, so the answer is probably a loud yes. Is there any significance in this one decision? I think so. Ultimately only time will tell, but my hope and prayer is the ruling of the Supreme Court will mark a line in the sand.
In 2022 The Guardian published an article ‘Britain is becoming a more liberal and open society. But we are ever more divided too’. Every UK national broadsheet has been incrementally raising the volume challenging the invasion of progressive liberalism into politics, legal developments, as well as the big institutions governing our education, health and local government. The traditional party-political lines have become blurred, across the political spectrum and shifts in voter alignment have becoming far less predictable and more narrowly focused, as expressive individualism has gained ground.
All this despite the ‘silent majority’ – many of my conversations with non-Christian people have been more balanced, yet clearer than with many Christians, support the fact this is across the general public opinion. I notice, since the Supreme Court ruling, many commentators have described this as ‘the common-sense view’, but their ruling will give voice to the previously silent. My hope is this will give courage to Christians too, many of whom have been willing to admit they are ‘scared’ to express their personal views at work, in the light of some of the stories of suspension in the media.
Paul writes our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). We have been praying for the tide to turn, so let us pray into the wider cultural forces, this moment will build in momentum. Let us praythe tide has gone out as far as it will go in the wider secular culture, we all inhabit.
The second piece to grab the headlines, across national media agencies, is ‘The Quiet Revival’. This is the survey report commissioned by Bible Society and conducted by YouGov.
The Bible Society headline is: The Quiet Revival: Gen Z leads rise in church attendance. Chruch attendance has risen by 50 per cent over the last six years, busting the myth of church decline and Gen Z is leading the way. Both elements were unthinkable in 2018 when the survey started with a really large survey of 19,000 adults in England and Wales. This is a much bigger sample than a typical survey would be, which would be between 1 and 3 thousand people. I also think the fact the survey is based on pre-pandemic figures is significant, as it embraces the immediate post-pandemic projections of the Church of England in terminal decline.
The Independent: Make Christianity cool again: Why Gen Z is flocking to church. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/church-christianity-gen-z-young-people-faith-god-easter-b2734957.html
The Telegraph: The strange rebirth of Christian England. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/16/the-strange-rebirth-of-christian-england/
The Guardian: I’m delighted to see gen Z men in the Uk flocking back to church – I just hope it’s for the right reasons. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/21/gen-z-men-church-community-activism-online-radicalisation
The Times: No sex, no booze, we’re off to church: Gen Z have found God. https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/the-times-magazine/article/why-gen-z-turning-god-beautiful-waiting-for-sex-s5v2m5hwc
I’d encourage you to download the full report, which is available free from the Bible Society: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/research/quiet-revival/form
There’s plenty of places you can look for reflections and comments about the findings and the process. If you want to listen to an interview with Dr Rhiannon McAleer, co-author of report, try this one with Justin Brierley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7UEDjbDR2E
My take-aways from the above are where I shall want to focus my energy, both in terms of my personal response, as well as my encouragement of Christians (especially Christian leaders) to respond:
- How then shall I live? Our sense in the run-up to Easter, inspired from Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem; Jesus is calling the church to follow him into the heart of the spiritual battle. Our battle is not against people, so we need not be afraid to engage with people knowing a significant percentage are open to explore the Bible, to hear the claims of Jesus and openly explore how they can discover meaning and purpose for their own life.
- How as a church do we provide a pathway(s) for seekers to find Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour? The sense the Lord was shaking the UK church through and post the pandemic has resulted in a greater focus on our core purposes of discipleship and mission. Whilst the church appears to have more ‘Bible confidence’ as the Bible Society describes it, we are not providing enough obvious and clear pathways to help seekers find.
- Will I seize the moment? The openness of the person in front of me to explore faith in Jesus Christ is likely to be greater than I’ve ever previously realised. For me this was highlighted just prior to easter. I was having a conversation with a young people I now know were in the 18-24 age group. Let’s just say, if I’d been asked to pick out two people from an identity parade two people, I thought might be open to personal faith in Jesus I wouldn’t have gone for these two. Where, not having met previously, we ended up within five minutes was hugely surprising. As church leaders we need to seize this moment and do more to build people’s confidence across our congregation and help equip them to have spiritual conversations with others.
We’re also continuing our series on Preparing for Revival (2) – Deep Repentance and a Hunger for Holiness. Click here to read.
