World Upside Down
Welcome to World Upside Down, the official podcast of Indianapolis Theological Seminary, where we engage in deep theological discussions on ”load-bearing” doctrines of the Christian faith. Each episode delves into a key Scriptural topic from a unique perspective, providing valuable insights for current and future ministry leaders.
Episodes
Is beauty simply a matter of personal taste, or are some things objectively beautiful? Dr. Jim Spiegel joins Nicholas Piotrowski and Roger Williams to explore the place of beauty in the Kingdom of God. Drawing from his new book, A Thing of Beauty, Dr. Spiegel challenges Christians to recover a biblical appreciation of beauty and recognize how God is at work in making things beautiful.
How do Christians actually live according to the Sermon on the Mount? Pastor and author Drew Hunter joins Drs. Nicholas Piotrowski and Roger Williams to explore the radical ethics of Jesus' kingdom, the danger of mere moralism, and how the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts to live under Christ's reign.
Interested in going deeper? Learn more about Indianapolis Theological Seminary and how you can take your next step toward robust t...
Dr. Benjamin Gladd joins World Upside Down to explain why the resurrection is more than just proof that Jesus conquered death. It marks the beginning of God’s new creation and the arrival of the kingdom in a radically new way.
We explore how Jesus’ resurrected body relates to the future resurrection of believers, how the Holy Spirit brings the realities of the new creation into the present, and what all of this means fo...
What does the cross tell us about the kingdom of God and what it means to live faithfully under Christ’s reign today?
James Faris and Alexander Breytenbach join the podcast to explore how the Kingdom of God advances through sacrifice, service, and resurrection hope. They trace this pattern from Scripture and into the Christian life, asking what Christ’s kingship means for leadership, evangelism, politics, suffering, and...
In this episode of World Upside Down, Dr. Matthew Patton explains how Christ’s announcement of the kingdom of God is rooted in the Old Testament prophetic tradition, and how the church is central to that kingdom.
From Eden to the new creation, this conversation explores how God is gathering a people, ruling through his appointed King, and displaying the realities of the age to come even now.
Interested in going deeper? Learn ...
For nearly two thousand years, Christians have wrestled with the relationship between the church and the state. Who has authority and where should the boundaries be drawn? In this episode of World Upside Down, Dr. Brannon Ellis traces that question across church history: from the persecution of early Christians under Rome, to the rise of Christendom, the Reformation, and the American approach to religious liberty. Interested in...
“Already, not yet” is a familiar Christian phrase, but it can become a shortcut that seeks to explain everything and therefore explains little.
Today's conversation explores the phrase's biblical substance. Nicholas Piotrowski and Roger Williams discuss how the promises of resurrection, Christ’s reign, Satan’s defeat, etc. have truly begun in Jesus Christ, even though believers still await their full experie...
In this episode of World Upside Down, we explore the church’s relationship to Christ’s reign and how Christians should think wisely about politics, public authority, and faithful witness under the lordship of Christ.
*A brief clarification: around the five-minute mark, Dr. Schrock mentions Stanley Hauerwas, but the intended reference was to Oliver O’Donovan.*
Interested in going deeper? Learn more about Indianapol...
Jesus' announcement that “the kingdom of God is at hand” was not a vague spiritual slogan—it was his public declaration that God’s reign was arriving on earth. Dr. Nicholas Perrin helps us see how that announcement connects all the way from Eden to the church’s life in the world today.
Leave a comment below and click the following link to be entered to win a copy of Dr. Perrin's book, The Kingdom of G...
God's people have always been tempted to want a king *like the nations,* but the Old Testament says that's exactly the wrong kind of king.
In this episode, Dr. Kris Holroyd opens Season 3 of World Upside Down with a deep dive into the kingdom of God as it unfolds in Scripture–from Genesis 1, to David, to the anticipation of Christ.
In this conversation:
- What does "kingdom of God" actually mean in the Old Testament and where...
What if Sunday morning worship is doing more to shape you than you realize? In this season 2 finale of World Upside Down, Dr. Mike Farley joins us to explore why the doctrine of creation is an often missing foundation in our Sunday liturgies.
Interested in going deeper? Learn more about Indianapolis Theological Seminary and how you can take your next step toward robust theological education: https://go.indysem.org/request-more-info
Sunsets didn’t have to be stunning. Landscapes didn’t have to move us. So what does the beauty of creation reveal about the Creator—and about us as his image-bearers? In this episode of World Upside Down, we sit down with pastor and author Russ Ramsey to explore how the Christian doctrine of creation shapes our understanding of beauty and art. Interested in going deeper? Learn more about Indianapolis Theological...
Speaking words is a powerful, intimate, and deeply human thing to do. How does the story of creation inform this claim? Dr. Kris Holroyd guides us through the creation narrative, speech act theory, its implications for life and ministry, along with practical guidelines for Sabbath rest and recovery for our physical bodies in a busy world.
Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:37 – Is Creation Relevant for Ministry? 0...
How does God define our reality? What's the right way to live in his world? Dr. David Schrock helps us restore our sense of reality, ethics, and what it means to be human. Timestamps: 00:00 — New Book: "The Business of Is-Ness" 01:10 — Confusion About Creation 03:49 — The Creator & The Purpose of His Cosmos 05:18 — Remembering Sexed Differences 13:29 — Remembering Our Dependence and Needines...
How does Scripture invite us to think about the categories of race, culture, ethnicity and identity? In this episode of World Upside Down, Pastor Gus Pritchard reflects on growing up in apartheid South Africa and argues that cultural identity is indeed creational, yet not fixed, and that the ultimate identity of Christians is found in their union with Jesus Christ. Timestamps: 00:00 — Opening & Aim (Race, Ethnicity, Cu...
What does it really mean to be made in God’s image? Dr. Christopher Watkin unpacks this alongside the cultural mandate to show how Genesis 1 grounds our everyday life. Timestamps 00:00 — Opening & Big Questions (image of God, creation mandate) 00:50 — Guest Intro: Dr. Christopher Watkin 01:07 — “Cultural” vs “Creation” Mandate (why both terms work) 01:44 — “Think...
Is redemption just forgiveness, or far more? Dr. T. Desmond Alexander traces the Exodus Passover pattern, showing how it restores access to God’s presence and anticipates Christ. Along the way, he explains why redemption includes the renewal of creation—fueling real Christian hope. Timestamps 00:00 — Opening & Guest Intro 01:12 — Exodus: From Oppression to God’s Presence (Tabernacle's Goal) 03:...
For Christmas, we're pressing pause on our regular World Upside Down programming. In this special episode, Dr. P delivers a sweeping, 40,000-foot overview of the Bible’s grand storyline—from creation and fall, through promise and exile, to fulfillment in Christ. Rather than focusing on a single text or theme, this message traces the coherence of Scripture itself: one unfolding story centered on God’s presence...
In this episode of World Upside Down, we trace how the early church confronted rival worldviews like Gnosticism, Marcionism, Arianism, and ancient materialism, and why confessing God as the maker of all things, visible and invisible was not a side issue, but essential to the gospel itself. Along the way, we consider how creation and redemption are inseparable, why the Trinity grounds creation as a free act of divine generosity, and...
What does Revelation tell us about the new creation? How does it transform your Christian life and ministry? Dr. Tom Schreiner walks through Revelation 21–22, showcasing how its symbolism feeds the imagination and nourishes our soul, pointing us towards what God is going to do to restore the world.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Topics to Cover in this Episode
01:17 — Eden in Rev 21–22 ("Healing of the Nations")
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