The World Turned Upside Down

Finding the Gospel in Stranger Things

By: Michael S. Heiser

Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill

What could the supernatural world of Stranger Things have in common with the Bible?

The paranormal television series Stranger Things taps into the mysterious elements that have fueled spiritual questions for millennia. The otherworldly manifestations in Hawkins, Indiana, offer compelling portrayals of important spiritual truths - and many of these truths are echoed in the supernatural worldview of the Bible.

For Michael Heiser, Stranger Things is the perfect marriage of his interest in popular culture and the paranormal. In The Unseen Realm, he opened the eyes of thousands, helping listeners understand the supernatural worldview of the Bible. Now he turns his attention to the worldwide television phenomenon, exploring how Stranger Things relates to Christian theology and the Christian life.

In The World Turned Upside Down, Heiser draws on this supernatural worldview to help us think about the story of Jesus and discover glimpses of the gospel in the Upside Down. He argues that this celebrated series helps us understand the gospel in unique and overlooked ways. The spiritual questions and crises raised by Stranger Things are addressed the same way they are in the gospel, with mystery and transcendent power.

©2019 Michael S. Heiser (P)2021 Michael S. Heiser

Great, if you love the TV series

I am a big Michael Heiser fan and I also love the series Stranger Things, so buying this book was a no-brainer for me. However, having read his other books on theology I expected some real deep biblical insights and truths. Not so. Don't get me wrong, this book was very interesting, but it is not like Heiser's other books, many of which are actually written for theologians. This book is more for the beginner Christian, someone who is interested in the Bible and the Spirit World but is not well versed in the Gospel. For me, having studied the Bible all of my life and having also read Heiser's other books, the best thing about this book was that it brought back all my memories of this cool TV series! In conclusion, if you are a relatively new Christian and you have watched and love Stranger Things, then I can't recommend this book enough, as it will teach you some important things about the REAL "upside down." NOTE: I imagine that someone who is NOT familiar with the TV series in question may not find this book very useful. It is important to have actually seen the series!

Oddly riveting

From start to end, kept me engaged. Dr. Michael Heiser opens into the way he sees the show "Stranger Things", and it is glorious.

Excellent!

My daughter and I love Stranger Things and when I saw this book on Audible, I had to get it. I even bought a paperback for my daughter. She is loving the book and it's giving her a renewed sense of understanding of the Gospel.

Another Great Book by Mike Heiser

Mike Heiser writes the best books about the supernatural and he uses Scriptures to support his ideas. The only disappointing thing about this book is that it ended. I wanted more. What a great comparison between Stranger Things and the Gospel! The narrator did a great job! Mike Heiser will be sorely missed.

More similarities than I expected.

I have listened to six of MSH’s books, so I knew what to expect, and yet I couldn’t believe how many gospel similarities there were in Stranger Things. I hope someday that I can see the world like he did.