Questions about American Christanity: Polymaths and Education

Polymaths. Where are they? God gives each of us a plethora of talents, gifts and abilities and the his mandate is to go into the vast, complex world and show his greatness to all by our ACTIONS. So then, why is "Christian Education" limited to Bible Study? The first act of the Holy Spirit was to allow Peter and the Church to praise God in every language of the Old World. Men from Rome, Cyprus, and Minor Asia passed by the temple and could hear the Gospel in their own language. That is amazing. That is the power of God. Yet, the modern churches of America are xenophobic, ethnically segregated and monolingual.

Additionally, the if Jesus' words were true and in these days "sons and daughters will prophesy" then darn it, every Christian should receive a prophet's education! Moses received the best education in the world, being in the royal court of the most powerful empire of his time. And even as it was his faith in God that rescued his people, it was his knowledge of government that built them their own nation. Slaves used their oppressors tools to make a world for their own, but in America, Black leaders try to demonize European culture and even embrace foolish concepts like Ebonics instead of embracing the strange opportunities God gives them.

Joseph was taught many subjects in the tent while his brothers worked the land. Yes, it was his faith in God that allowed him to survive his ordeals, but he was taught to read and write Egyptian, the foreign language of pagans, taught math and finance, taught many things because his father loved him and wanted the best for him. Don't we love our children? Don't we know that this Earth is God's and that to know more of the Earth is to know more of how he operates?

Jesus was born in a time that his nation was again under an Empire. Yet he knew Greek. He knew how to read and write. He knew more about the average world than most, even though his mission was restricted to Israel. He mandated to us that we teach his words to the whole world, yet we refuse to even learn another language or travel as he or Paul did! Polymaths show God's greatness by the beauty of their abilities and their ability to act when God calls on them.

Christian Education is all education. Nothing can be left out.

1 Corinthians 9: The Rights of an Apostle

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? ...

If I preach because I want to, I get a reward. If I preach because I have to, I'm only doing my duty. Then what reward do I get? Here is what it is. I am able to preach the good news free of charge. And I can do it without making use of my rights when I preach it.

I am free. I don't belong to anyone. But I make myself a slave to everyone. I do it to win as many as I can to Christ.

To the Jews I became like a Jew. That was to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one who was under the law, even though I myself am not under the law. That was to win those under the law. To those who don't have the law I became like one who doesn't have the law. I am not free from God's law. I am under Christ's law. Now I can win those who don't have the law. To those who are weak I became weak. That was to win the weak.

I have become all things to all people so that in all possible ways I might save some. ²³ I do all of that because of the good news. And I want to share in its blessings....

~~~~

Can the modern American Christian even walk to their neighbor, who is Black, Jewish, Muslim, a gangster, a Hispanic, a communist, a Republican, a gay man or a bisexual woman and even TALK to them? Where are the people who know of the world and can speak to others in their language, and understand them enough so that they may be of USE to them? Didn't our Master know many languages and speak even to a Greek soldier? Didn't he sit with the sinners, eat with them?