345 – Chris Morehouse – Wisdom of African Traditions

Chris Morehouse holds 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. A legacy for all, African proverbs often accord with Judeo-Christian teachings. He serves as a deacon at Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where he lives with his family.

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.