Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia to Speak at Calvin

Summary: Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Tamrat Layne, will speak at Calvin College's Gezon Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Tamrat Layne, will speak at Calvin College's Gezon Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Layne's talk, titled: "Transformation in Jesus," will chronicle the incredible journey - which includes a 12-year prison sentence - he has taken since he was removed from political power in 1996. It was about midway through his sentence when Layne converted to Christianity and felt a new calling on his life.

"The Lord found him in the dungeon of the prison," said Tibebe Eshete, a former professor of history at Calvin now teaching in MSU's department of religious studies. He is helping to coordinate Layne's visit.

Eshete explained that Layne was formerly a distinguished Marxist who knew war, power and conflict. But, since his release from prison in December of 2008, Layne is using his influence to be a champion of peace and to talk about practical ways that the worldwide Christian community can help out in Africa, he said.

"He is a testimony to God's irresistible grace. He was very arrogant and outspoken; now he is timid, contrite and he wants to stand for peace in Africa. He wants to engage the world," said Eshete.

Layne was a founding member of the former Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement (EPDM), now the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM). He served as Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 1991-1995.

For more information on Layne's visit to Calvin College and for a complete schedule of his speaking engagements while in the area, please contact Joshua Amaezechi at 616-826-3488.

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Received on Thu Sep 24 12:20:29 2009