What do pop culture, evangelising to pet dogs and '80s sitcom The Wonder Years have in common?

According to US author and podcaster Knox McCoy, they all play a pivotal role in his faith.

Yes, you read that correctly. In his memoir The Wondering Years, McCoy gives voice to a generation of young people who have begun to deconstruct their evangelical and/or deeply conservative childhood faith.

Sometimes that happens through an anecdote about his affinity with Jacob as he wrestled with God. Other times, McCoy expresses it through an endearing story about how as a child he would ‘subtly’ try to say the ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ with any dog available, for fear that someone needed to reach the canines of the world.

This is irreverent without being crass, and relatable to the extreme for anyone who considered themselves a ‘church kid’ in the ’80s and ’90s. Pop-culture references abound, as do exploits about trying to win souls.

You will cringe along with McCoy as he recalls the fundamentalism of his younger years, but find camaraderie as he explains how he restructured his faith from religious superiority to compassionate questioning.

A fun, compelling and much-needed read. If you consider yourself a survivor of the ‘Left Behind’ hysteria, ‘True Love Waits’ manifesto, and evangelical waterboarding, this is for you.

The Wondering Years is available at Koorong.