The Upside Down Kingdom: Wisdom for Life from the Beatitudes

In our sinful world, we often struggle with anxiety, loneliness, and heartache. Everywhere we look, we see broken families and divided communities. How can we truly cultivate God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven” in such a broken place? In the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2–12), Jesus urges us to set ourselves apart from the world, living in a counterculture with a new identity rooted in him. The Upside Down Kingdom examines this counterintuitive wisdom and explores its relevance for today. Drawing on insights from the biblical story of redemption, church fathers, Reformation scholars throughout history, and contemporary life, this book equips and encourages readers to get their spiritual bearings in an upside-down world. Author Chris Castaldo ultimately points readers to the kingdom of Christ—not as a set of rules, but as a means of bringing peace and blessing here and now.

Publisher: Crossway
Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9781433584916

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Chris Castaldo (PhD, London School of Theology) is the lead pastor at New Covenant Church in Naperville, Illinois. He is the author of Talking with Catholics about the Gospel and coauthor of The Unfinished Reformation.

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“What happens if we read the Beatitudes from a relentlessly biblical perspective that interprets them in terms of the unmerited grace God has offered us in Christ? What happens when we read them in terms of what God has done for us in Christ’s cross work, what he is doing in us by the Holy Spirit, and what he will do for the world through us? Chris Castaldo’s The Upside Down Kingdom startles us with the answers. Here is a book that equips us to be the world’s salt and light by helping us learn to live according to the ‘rhythms of heaven’ that beat in God’s own heart.” Mark Talbot, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Wheaton College; author, Suffering and the Christian Life series