Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Visits CTS

Tamrat Layne shares his story with the Calvin Seminary community

by Alex Snider

On Thursday, October 1, 2009, the Calvin Seminary community was honored to host the Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Tamrat Layne. Layne had spoken at Calvin College the night before and came to the Seminary to give an abridged version of his story as well as to answer student questions.

Layne's story was amazing. He was a founding member of the Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement (now the Amhara National Democratic Movement). As a leader, Layne participated in seventeen years of rebellion before his group overthrew the socialist military dictatorship. After the takeover he was named Prime Minister. In 1996, however, Layne's associates turned on him. He was arrested and convicted of corruption and abuse of power.

After serving twelve years of an eighteen-year sentence, Layne was released late in 2008. After acquiring a Bible while in prison, Layne became a Christian in 2001. His faith carried him through the next seven years of incarceration.

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