Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible compares almost 300 proverbs from all over the continent with Bible verses, organized into forty-six broad themes. Chris Morehouse was compelled to write the book after exploring the Parallel Sayings books, which juxtapose insights from the great religious traditions with their counterparts from Jewish and Christian scriptures. These books explore resonances between Christianity and Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism. The author began to wonder why there was not a similar volume exploring corresponding insights from Africa’s traditions. In this book, you’ll discover: • African expressions of the golden rule; • versions of loving one’s enemies and welcoming the stranger; • insights about losing your way to find your way—and much more. The African idea of sankofa—“go back and get it”—tells us that we can go forward by looking to the past. Find common ground and get tools to face the future with the insights in this book of African and biblical wisdom. Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible masterfully intertwines African proverbs with biblical passages, revealing the rich tapestry of human wisdom through the ages, and displaying the interconnectedness between different cultures. With over three dozen topics and numerous proverbs paralleled with Bible verses, spanning such themes as forgiveness and anger, the book is a comprehensive overview, which can also be used as springboard for further study. The inclusion of imagery and maps enhances this examination, making it an indispensable reference guide for those seeking to understand the universal principles shared across both African and Christian traditions. -- Self-Publishing Review "One sense centuries of history behind each kernel of wisdom." Author Morehouse offers the wisdom of Africa's ancient peoples, encased in adages and images passed down through countless generations. To give each saying the ring of familiarity for readers, Morehouse references Christian writings, arraying African wisdom in forty-six categories, and citing the language and country of origin for each proverb, followed by a "Commentary and Study Guide" for further study and understanding. Morehouse initiates his exploration of African traditional wisdom by focusing on the "Golden Rule." As an example, he found this ingenuous statement from Nigeria, translated from the Yoruba language as "What you can't take, do not do to others." On the topic of the "Nature of God," readers will find this offering from Kenya/Tanzania both surprising and satisfying: "With God, no person is abject." This closely mirrors the biblical declaration from Lamentations 3:31: "For no one is cast off by the Lord forever." The author's analysis of each theme proffers a fresh look at straightforward human-scale wisdom garnered over centuries and is rich in mental and emotional guidance. Other topics presented include mindfulness, confession, patience, gratitude, and community and conclude with "Death," which notes that, for many Africans, ancestors are "a constant presence." Morehouse, with a Master's degree in public and international affairs, has made an assiduous, lifelong study of African culture and development. This enlightening compendium, with many resources listed, establishes a knowledge base inviting thoughtful comparison and contemplation, sagely linking African sayings and symbols to pragmatic and philosophical questions and comments. Underlying this unique study is Morehouse's conviction, often expressed in this fascinating collection, that African proverbs should be seen as a significant contribution to world wisdom, comparable to those contained in biblical and other respected sources. Morehouse's work provides a valuable focus for discussion groups and individual absorption. --Barbara Bamberger Scott, The US Review of Books