The research this book is based on worked with British ‘included’ teenagers and twenty-somethings; the generation Y of the book title. It analyses the results and then connects this analysis with wider cultural trends and their implications for Christian youth work and mission. The important thing is that the assumption that religion is out and spirituality is in is wrong. There is not much sign of a deinstitutionalised spiritual quest among the people interviewed.

There are some important things to note from this study. These are included youngsters who have sufficient income and apparent family stability not to disturb overmuch the happy midi-narrative that the study identifies as their metanarrative-substitute. Therefore, for a fuller picture we should note that there are people in this age group for whom the ideology does not work. Indeed, because of the group construction and maintenance of this midi-narrative it may be that there are private doubts and struggles which are not permissable to articulate and which are repressed.

One of the commendations of the book is that we engage in prior mission. That is creating space for the asking of big questions and exploration as well a the telling of Christian stories and the demonstrating of how Christianity can look when it takes seriously the values of the Reign of God.

Engagement with the happy midi-ers will mean taking a positive approach to the celebration of the present world, multi-layering our worship and communication, living with ambiguity in order to be in on important conversations, casting off hierarchical assumptions. At a number of points I felt that a life coaching approach was essentially being recommended, without that label. It would be useful to be aware and constructively engage in the identity construction projects of generation Y. We also have to take seriously the way that consumerism is now the principle way of approaching life. I suspect that in many ways this is the meta-narrative, in fact into which the happy midi-narrative fits. We also have to take seriously that these are what I have termed digiborgines.

There was some support for the hypothesis that I have sometimes put forward that culturally the background religious ideas, the folk religion, so to speak, is now more new Agey than Christian.

Altogether a thought-provoking read that is important for Christian leaders and youth workers to have in mind as they work with mission and pastoral relationships with generation Y. There will be much to helyp put sundry observations into perspective and to suggest avenues for further exploration in mission.