Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible

By Chris Morehouse and Therese Taylor-Stinson

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663253231

Chris Morehouse

Chris Morehouse earned a master’s in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, where he focused on economic and social development in Africa. He has long admired the way that African proverbs encapsulate profound wisdom in vivid ways. He serves as a deacon at Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where he lives with his family.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 Chris Morehouse.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Bible citation: Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

ISBN: 978-1-6632-5324-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-5323-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023909134

iUniverse rev. date: 08/29/2023

Contents

List of Illustrations

Foreword

Introduction

Proverbs

Golden Rule

Commentary and Study Guide

Seeking

Commentary and Study Guide

Speaking and Listening

Commentary and Study Guide

Love

Commentary and Study Guide

Seeing

Commentary and Study Guide

Forgiveness

Commentary and Study Guide

Compassion

Commentary and Study Guide

Wisdom and Foolishness

Commentary and Study Guide

Forbearance

Commentary and Study Guide

Trusting in God

Commentary and Study Guide

Nature of God

Commentary and Study Guide

God of Creation

Commentary and Study Guide

Conscience

Commentary and Study Guide

Hope

Commentary and Study Guide

Peace

Commentary and Study Guide

Patience

Commentary and Study Guide

Gratitude

Commentary and Study Guide

Generosity

Commentary and Study Guide

Virtue

Commentary and Study Guide

Talents

Commentary and Study Guide

Prophets

Commentary and Study Guide

Leadership

Commentary and Study Guide

Fruits of the Spirit

Commentary and Study Guide

Mindfulness

Commentary and Study Guide

Confession

Commentary and Study Guide

Sowing and Reaping

Commentary and Study Guide

Worry

Commentary and Study Guide

Community

Commentary and Study Guide

Ubuntu/Interbeing

Commentary and Study Guide

Prayer

Commentary and Study Guide

Anger

Commentary and Study Guide

Stumbling Blocks

Commentary and Study Guide

Hate

Commentary and Study Guide

Vengeance

Commentary and Study Guide

Violence

Commentary and Study Guide

Appearances

Commentary and Study Guide

Lying

Commentary and Study Guide

Pride

Commentary and Study Guide

Greed

Commentary and Study Guide

Envy

Commentary and Study Guide

Idolatry

Commentary and Study Guide

Good and Evil

Commentary and Study Guide

Repentance

Commentary and Study Guide

Reconciliation

Commentary and Study Guide

Abundant Life

Commentary and Study Guide

Death

Commentary and Study Guide

Afterword

Methodology

Maps

Additional Reading

Notes

Sources

For Lee and Logan

List of Illustrations

Cover design by João Rego.

Illustrations Appearing on Multiple Pages

1. Adinkra symbol for peace and reconciliation, Mpatapo, 1.jpg , pp. 1–245. Artist: Janna Ala.

2. Adinkra symbol, king of Adinkra, Damedame, 2.jpg , pp. 4–255. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

Other Illustrations

1. Stone arch, Gedi, Kenya, p. xxiii. Artist: Karina Monakhova.

2. Adinkra symbol for learning from the past, Sankofa, p. 2. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

3. Nsibidi symbol for two men talking, p. 10. Artist: Syed Asfandyar Alam.

4. Southern Bantu symbol for wisdom and silence, p. 12. Artist: Syed Asfandyar Alam.

5. Adinkra symbol for the power of love, meaning Love never loses its way home, Odo Nnew Fie Kwan, p. 21. Artist: Janna Ala.

6. Detail of a window grille from the Nubian church at Banganarti, Sudan, twelfth century, p. 22. Artist: Karina Monakhova.

7. Pectoral medallion, Senegal, twelfth to thirteenth century, p. 23. Artist: Karina Monakhova.

8. Detail of a textile design from Ivory Coast, p. 24. Artist: Maria Eugenia Amarilla.

9. Adinkra symbol for friendship and interdependence, meaning the teeth and the tongue, Ese Ne Tekrema, p. 26. Artist: Janna Ala.

10. Southern Bantu symbol for seeing, p. 33. Artist: Syed Asfandyar Alam.

11. Adinkra symbol for forgiveness, toughness, endlessness, imperishability, Hye wonnye, p. 38. Artist: Janna Ala.

12. Adinkra symbol for wisdom, peace, knowledge, and prudence, meaning What I hear, I keep, Mate Masie, p. 48. Artist: Janna Ala.

13. Adinkra symbol for wisdom and creativity, spider’s web, Ananse Ntontan, p. 49. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

14. Adinkra symbol, He who does not know can know from learning, Nea Onnim na Sua a Ohu, p. 50. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

15. Adinkra symbol for faith and trust in God, the fern, meaning By God’s grace, Nyame Nti, p. 60. Artist: Janna Ala.

16. Artist’s interpretation of a detail from a Swahili doorway, p. 61. Artist: Kaleb Dawit.

17. Adinkra symbol referring to God’s omniscience, meaning except for God, Gye Nyame, p. 66. Artist: Janna Ala.

18. Adinkra symbol meaning God cannot die, Nyame nwu na maru, p. 73. Artist: Janna Ala.

19. Adinkra symbol meaning the earth has weight, referring to the earth’s role in sustaining life, Asase ye duru, p. 76. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

20. Swahili dhow, p. 82. Artist: Lulu Hayanga Fregoni.

21. Adinkra symbol for hope, meaning God is in the heavens, Nyame biribi, p. 86. Artist: Janna Ala.

22. Adinkra symbol for peace and harmony, meaning No one bites the other, Bi nka bi, p. 90. Artist: Janna Ala.

23. Adinkra symbol for patience and tolerance, meaning the heart, Akoma, p. 94. Artist: Janna Ala.

24. Detail from a window of the Church of Saint George, Lalibela, Ethiopia, p. 100. Artist: Kaleb Dawit.

25. Bambara mud-cloth design from Mali, p. 123. Artist: Maria Eugenia Amarilla.

26. Tsonga pot, p. 132. Artist: Xenia Panchenko.

27. Southern Bantu symbol for mind, p. 134. Artist: Syed Asfandyar Alam.

28. Design used on doors and walls, Mauritania, p. 154. Artist: Syed Asfandyar Alam.

29. Ethiopian cross, p. 164. Artist: Kaleb Dawit.

30. Detail from wall at Great Zimbabwe, twelfth to fifteenth century, p. 196. Artist: Xenia Panchenko.

31. Adinkra symbol warning against deception and hypocrisy, The bad make it difficult for the good to be noticed, Kwamo bone, p. 200. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

32. Adinkra symbol meaning puffed-up bravery, extravagance, or arrogance, Kintinkantan, p. 206. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

33. Adinkra symbol for jealousy, meaning The enemy will stew in his own juice, Tamfo Bebre, p. 216. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

34. Adinkra symbol for jealousy or envy, Fofo, p. 217. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

35. Adinkra symbol meaning I change or transform my life, Sesa wo suban, p. 230. Artist: Janna Ala.

36. Adinkra symbol for understanding and agreement, meaning linked hearts, Akoma Ntoso, p. 236. Artist: Janna Ala.

37. Oba of Benin, bronze, fourteenth century, p. 240. Artist: Dorothea Taylor.

38. Malagasy lamba cloth, p. 244. Artist: Maria Eugenia Amarilla.

39. Adinkra symbol for mortality, the ladder of death, Owuo Atwedee, p. 245. Artist: Piyali Basu Mallick.

Maps

1. Map of Africa, p. 257. Artist: Syed Asfandyar Alam.

2. Map of the Caribbean and South America, p. 259. Artist: Syed Asfandyar Alam.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a

charity that serves Africa and the Caribbean.

Foreword

Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.

Meaning: You don’t jump straight into a situation without thinking about it first.

The above is a Nigerian proverb that warns us of the foolishness of decisions made without thought. If one hastily jumps into a river with both feet, they may drown not knowing the depth of the water, or they may lose their footing to avoid the grasp of an alligator. That causes me to consider the depth of the invitation given to write the forward for this amazingly thoughtful book, which parallels the proverbs of Africa with those proverbs and wise sayings found in the texts of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. Additionally, African proverbs from historically Muslim societies offer another opportunity for reflection. All three Abrahamic traditions have profoundly affected human wisdom around the world.

One thing we should first acknowledge is that Africa is the birthplace of humanity, culture, language, and wisdom. That birthing has now migrated to many continents and countries around the globe. No wonder when we read the ancient proverbs of Africa, we can find similarity in most, if not all, cultures, traditions, and peoples near and far. In most instances, the wisdom is to be mindful of oneself and of others, or as it is written coming from Jesus in the Christian tradition, Love your neighbor as yourself. That love was expressed once with my witness of my Ghanaian neighbor, whom while musing on the similarities of the Asante of Ghana and the Ebo (or Igbo) of Nigeria (both next door neighbors in the U.S.) proclaimed, I can’t help but believe that, in an earlier time, we were one.

This wisdom and legacy of love and discernment in our actions is told in various ways, everywhere! In this 21st century, it should remind us that there is no real separation among us except what we create for desires of dominance, control, and safety for our favored groups.

I am reminded of an early conversation I had with a wise clergywoman as I began an effort to uncover racism in our particular segment of the larger Church. We were going to identify ourselves as a group looking at race and reconciliation in our named geographical location of our larger denomination. I was advised by this pillar in our Church, to take some time to reconsider the word reconciliation for those of African descent, as in most of our circumstances, we had never ‘conciled’ in the first place. In the Hebrew, "kaphar" means to cover; to atone or condone; to placate or cancel. In other more modern words to pay back or repair.

As I picked up this manuscript, first of