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The Upside Down Kingdom: Wisdom for Life from the Beatitudes
An Examination of the Beatitudes and Jesus’s Counterintuitive Promises 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. Download Study Guide
192 pages, Paperback
Published July 18, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 21, 2023
This book is short, coming in at just 139 pages, but it covers every verse in The Beatitudes, part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. The Beatitudes are an invitation to live in the here and now for God’s glory. We get a glimpse of God’s heavenly kingdom when we seek to live with steadfast faith through all the trials, sorrows, and challenges of this earthly world.
Castaldo takes up one verse in each chapter and shares the stories of real people both historical and contemporary to open each chapter.
Favorite quotes-
“Life in the kingdom, though, is not about striving for happiness or avoiding the ills of human existence. It’s about receiving and finding. It’s about recognizing and living into God’s promises, even amid the pain and suffering of life. “Blessed” is therefore not an achievement, attitude, or a subjective emotion; it is the tangible gift of God’s loving embrace, an identity in Christ that experiences life as it ought to be- ‘as in heaven’.”
“Herein lies the mystery- that we can be simultaneously hungry and satisfied. In Christ, we are both famished and full, laboring and at rest.”
Highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Crossway Books for a gifted copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!
Castaldo takes up one verse in each chapter and shares the stories of real people both historical and contemporary to open each chapter.
Favorite quotes-
“Life in the kingdom, though, is not about striving for happiness or avoiding the ills of human existence. It’s about receiving and finding. It’s about recognizing and living into God’s promises, even amid the pain and suffering of life. “Blessed” is therefore not an achievement, attitude, or a subjective emotion; it is the tangible gift of God’s loving embrace, an identity in Christ that experiences life as it ought to be- ‘as in heaven’.”
“Herein lies the mystery- that we can be simultaneously hungry and satisfied. In Christ, we are both famished and full, laboring and at rest.”
Highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Crossway Books for a gifted copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!
October 5, 2023
Castaldo’s “The Upside Down Kingdom,” is a good entry level book on the Beatitudes as they pertain to the Christian life. With each Beatitude, Castaldo helps us see Jesus’ upside-down way of living. I appreciated some of the strong stances Castaldo took.
There are a few things I would have loved to see, including having Castaldo try to help the reader see the flow and internal logic of the Beatitudes as well as being a bit more creative about his sources for quotes. There was a lot of the typical fodder (CS Lewis, etc) that Castaldo leaned on. I think it could have been a bit fresher on that front.
All in all, “The Upside Down Kingdom” is worth the read. Who doesn’t need to be invited to understand and live out the Beatitudes?
For more reviews see thebeehive.live.
There are a few things I would have loved to see, including having Castaldo try to help the reader see the flow and internal logic of the Beatitudes as well as being a bit more creative about his sources for quotes. There was a lot of the typical fodder (CS Lewis, etc) that Castaldo leaned on. I think it could have been a bit fresher on that front.
All in all, “The Upside Down Kingdom” is worth the read. Who doesn’t need to be invited to understand and live out the Beatitudes?
For more reviews see thebeehive.live.
November 26, 2023
This book definitely surpassed my expectations. I was really intrigued by the writing style and also beautifully drawn out exposition of the beatitudes. This book was a huge encouragement to me and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to dive deeper into Christian living or the kingdom of God.
July 24, 2023
This excellent book offers the reader a survey of the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Written in a simple easy-to-follow style, the book features concise and thoughtful chapters on each of the Beatitudes, applying their meaning to our daily lives.
The book outlines our call as believers to live a “cruciform” life, understanding “the integral connection between peacemaking and cross bearing” along with showing mercy, loving justice, and so forth, through which “so much of the Sermon on the Mount comes into focus.”
The topic of the Beatitudes often garners my attention and I enjoyed the book’s contribution to the topic, as well as its format and writing style. This book serves as an excellent survey on the topic that I can wholeheartedly recommend. It also left me longing to read more.
Notable Quotes:
“The Beatitudes pour gasoline on our contemporary ideals—and then light a match. [They] dig beneath the surface, exposing what we really need to value and practice.”
“We’ll never be able to mediate peace to others without honestly and courageously doing business with our own hearts.”
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
The book outlines our call as believers to live a “cruciform” life, understanding “the integral connection between peacemaking and cross bearing” along with showing mercy, loving justice, and so forth, through which “so much of the Sermon on the Mount comes into focus.”
The topic of the Beatitudes often garners my attention and I enjoyed the book’s contribution to the topic, as well as its format and writing style. This book serves as an excellent survey on the topic that I can wholeheartedly recommend. It also left me longing to read more.
Notable Quotes:
“The Beatitudes pour gasoline on our contemporary ideals—and then light a match. [They] dig beneath the surface, exposing what we really need to value and practice.”
“We’ll never be able to mediate peace to others without honestly and courageously doing business with our own hearts.”
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
April 5, 2024
I love the Beatitudes, and will happily dive into read many more books on the Beatitudes!
Chris Castaldo did not disappoint. His book on the Beatitudes was very accessible, but each chapter deeply convicted, blessed and re-oriented me. I was thankful to hear teaching on the Beatitudes, in a time where Christians around the world are struggling with themes like meekness, mercy or persecution. My heart was deeply encouraged by Castaldo's wisdom and care as he worked through each of the Beatitudes. The way up is down. The way up is persecution. May God have mercy on me, and help me to live for the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of earth.
Chris Castaldo did not disappoint. His book on the Beatitudes was very accessible, but each chapter deeply convicted, blessed and re-oriented me. I was thankful to hear teaching on the Beatitudes, in a time where Christians around the world are struggling with themes like meekness, mercy or persecution. My heart was deeply encouraged by Castaldo's wisdom and care as he worked through each of the Beatitudes. The way up is down. The way up is persecution. May God have mercy on me, and help me to live for the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of earth.
October 17, 2024
A concise and practical guide to the Beatitudes, but with a surprising depth that is grounded in the gospel and on what it means to be a citizen of heaven.
July 16, 2023
Castaldo sets the record straight as to how God intends His people to live. He shows how one follows the heart of God, aligning with His priorities. Constantine paved the way for a muscular Christianity, ruling by coercion. The beatitudes provide a different way for Christians to live as members of God's kingdom. He provides illustrations from the Bible, quotes from other sources and insightful commentary to help us understand what each of the beatitudes means for life.
Some of his teaching was a bit surprising to me, such as on meekness. He notes the lack of strong, godly leaders and that men want others to carry out ministry. (548/1942) I thought part of a leader's job was to train and encourage laypeople to do ministry.
My favorite section was on being people of peace. That means willingly sacrificing privileges, comfort, pleasure, convenience, preferences and personal agendas for the sake of peace. (1225/1942) It seems contemporary Christianity is far from that behavior pattern.
Castaldo's writing style is good. It is easy to comprehend his ideas and respond to his encouragement. While there may be nothing shockingly new in his exposition of the beatitudes, this book is a good one to remind us of the patterns of life presented in them.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Some of his teaching was a bit surprising to me, such as on meekness. He notes the lack of strong, godly leaders and that men want others to carry out ministry. (548/1942) I thought part of a leader's job was to train and encourage laypeople to do ministry.
My favorite section was on being people of peace. That means willingly sacrificing privileges, comfort, pleasure, convenience, preferences and personal agendas for the sake of peace. (1225/1942) It seems contemporary Christianity is far from that behavior pattern.
Castaldo's writing style is good. It is easy to comprehend his ideas and respond to his encouragement. While there may be nothing shockingly new in his exposition of the beatitudes, this book is a good one to remind us of the patterns of life presented in them.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
January 12, 2024
Beautiful, practical, and convicting. The words of Jesus confront us with the reality that his kingdom is not of this world and what we often times call up is really down. Super accessible treatment of the beatitudes.
“The Beatitudes, in other words, are the Magna Carta of God's new world, the charter and commission of Christ's kingdom.
They invite poor sinners like you and me to experience the new creation: to rest in his comfort, to embody his holiness, to savor his righteousness, to celebrate his mercy, to be called beloved children. This is the kingdom we are invited to, a kingdom that will last forever and ever.”
“The Beatitudes, in other words, are the Magna Carta of God's new world, the charter and commission of Christ's kingdom.
They invite poor sinners like you and me to experience the new creation: to rest in his comfort, to embody his holiness, to savor his righteousness, to celebrate his mercy, to be called beloved children. This is the kingdom we are invited to, a kingdom that will last forever and ever.”
August 3, 2023
I've read the Beatitudes many times through my life but never really unpacked them but after a sermon series at my church explored the idea of Jesus' upside down kingdom, the title of this book and the subject caught my attention. This is an excellent read for anyone looking for dive into the Beatitudes and what they can teach us about God, following Jesus and being a Christian today. I could see using this book as a study guide for a small group.
July 6, 2023
I loved this book! It was so meaty! If you want a deep dive into the beatitudes, then this is definitely for you. I can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hands to annotate and mark up! Thank you Crossway for the ARC through NetGalley.
February 18, 2024
A solid, short primer on a beautiful section of Scripture.
December 31, 2024
Rich little theological step through of the beatitudes.
March 7, 2025
Excellent book explaining the beatitudes in practical real life scenarios and how we can apply or should apply them to our lives.
October 10, 2025
Definitely recommend. A much needed deep dive into often quoted, but not fully understood passages of scripture.
Also very applicable to today’s culture and climate.
I4.25⭐️
Also very applicable to today’s culture and climate.
I4.25⭐️
February 2, 2024
4.5⭐️. So good
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews