Review of Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible

[Oluwatomisin Okunola]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible" by Chris Morehouse.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible by Chris Morehouse is a lovely book that centers around various proverbs and wise sayings from various African societies. These sayings are then juxtaposed with sayings in the Bible that reflect the need for wisdom and how to apply it.
Legacy is a well-researched book highlighting proverbs from African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Swahili, Madagascar, Mauritania, Haiti, etc. It compares them with similar quotes from the Bible, the religious book of Christians. Two significant themes highlighted in the book are individualism and interbeing, which reflect the essence of humans' needs to make their own decisions and cater to themselves while not forgetting that we operate as a community and "I am because we are and we are because I am" as discussed in the chapter titled "Ubuntu/Interbeing."
These concepts are highly relevant and reflective of African societies that value community and individual responsibility.
One of the significant aspects of the book that I enjoyed is that each chapter has a Commentary and Study Guide that walks you through the proverbs and Bible verses discussed and explains how they can be applied in one's life. Each chapter also has questions highlighted for further study and discussion. This allows you to engage yourself and others in getting various opinions on what you might have learned from the book.
I also appreciate that the book discusses various topics that are integral to human existence, such as life, death, love, hate, good and evil, God, hope, conscience, peace, generosity, gratitude, talents—ultimately uniqueness, balance, and the need for wisdom in everyday dealings.
I find no fault in the book, as it was well-researched, well-edited, and did not contain vulgar language.
Thus, I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend that the book be read by anyone seeking wisdom and open to learning from various traditions and religions. I highly commend the author for his excellent work in compiling this piece.

******
Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon