Ezra Gebremedhin – författare

Ezra Gebremedhin är född 1935 och uppvuxen i Etiopien med eritreanska föräldrar och är en svensk-eritreansk teolog och kyrkoledare. Han har varit generalsekreterare för den lutherska Mekane Yesus-kyrkan i Etiopien 1963-1966 och docent vid Uppsala universitet, samt författat åtskilliga böcker och vetenskapliga artiklar. Han studerade pedagogik i hemlandet och i USA, och tog en magisterexamen där. Efter att också ha tagit en teologie kandidat-examen återvände han till Etiopien. Gebremedhin reste 1970 till Sverige för att doktorera på nattvardssynen hos Kyrillos av Alexandria, men blev kvar i Sverige på grund av de förföljelser som utbröt i hemlandet sedan den kommunistiska Mengisturegimen tagit makten. I Sverige har han under 55 år arbetat som präst och undervisat vid Johannelunds teologiska högskola och vid Uppsala universitet. I den två-språkiga boken Äntligen – Minnen från mitt liv/ Born to a Finalmente – Notes on my Life ger Ezra axplock från sin barndom i Addis Abeba, och om sina föräldrar och syskon. EFS i Sverige har haft nära kontakter med Etiopien sedan slutet av 1800-talet och berättelsen innefattar även personliga relationer till missionärer och andra i Sverige. Boken kan vändas och läsas från båda hållen, på engelska eller svenska. Ezra Gebremedhin was born 1935 and brought up in Ethiopia, where he was also ordained into the ministry of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). Ezra’s parents moved to Ethiopia from Eritrea (then an Italian colony) in the latter half of the Nineteen-twenties. He and his siblings received a deep and the lasting impression of the Evangelical Lutheran faith which had nourished their parents in Eritrea when they were young. A retired Assistant Professor of Theology at the University of Uppsala, the author has also served as a pastor not only in the Church of Sweden but also among the Eritrean Diaspora and Ethiopians of Evangelical Lutheran and other Christain persuasions. Äntligen/Born to a Finalmente is a one volume book with two languages, English and Swedish and contain memories from his childhood and life in Ethiopia and the 55 long stay in Sweden.

Ezra Gebremedhin (B.A., M.A., B.D., D.Th.) was born and brought up in Ethiopia, where he was also ordained into the ministry of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). Ezra's parents moved to Ethiopia from Eritrea (then an Italian colony) in the latter half of the Nineteen-twenties.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered Haile Sellassie I, Elect of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia May this reach Monsieur Stjärne! Extract from a letter from Emperor Haile Sellassie to Per Stjärne After the Second World War the relations between Emperor Haile Sellasie (1892-1975) and the Swedish missionary Per Stjärne (1895-1984) came to play a central role in the development of a close cooperation between Ethiopia and Sweden. This work is a description of the very close friendship between the Emperor and the Swedish missionary. The book is a valuable contribution towards our knowledge of how important events grow out of mutual confidence between key persons. The correspondence between the Emperor and Stjärne throws light on the situation of Ethiopian refugees who found themselves in places like Jerusalem and Kenya during the war years. Emperor Haile Sellassie was very eager to cooperate with Sweden, a small, neutral country without colonies. His experience of the contributions of Swedish missionary efforts in the areas of education and medical care were very positive. When the Emperor finally returned to Ethiopia in 1941, Per Stjärne assumed a key role as a special envoy of the Emperor. Previously unknown letters have gone, partly, into the making of this book. VIVECA HALLDIN NORGERG, D. PHIL. The correspondence between the Emperor and Stjärne was made available by his sons, Torsten and Lennart Stjärne. Mention should also be made of an earlier, and previously unexamined, correspondence between the Emperor's envoy Abbebe Retta and Mission Director Nils Dahlberg of EFS. EZRA GEBREMEDHIN Pastor, Assistant Professor Systematic Theology, formerly General Secretary, EECMY, teacher Johannelund Theological Institute, Senior Lecturer Uppsala University. MARTIN NILSSON Formerly Public Relations Officer for fundraising and international contacts, Head of the Archives Project for EFS. "We have been through your most interesting thesis. The information you present in such detail will be of interest to many people in various countries and walks of life." PROFESSOR RICHARD & RITA PANKHURST "The correspondence between the Swedish missionary Per Stjärne and Emperor Haile Sellassie provides a rare insight into the personality of the famous monarch and the challenges he faced. The book presents a unique set of documents at a critical juncture of Ethiopian history,namely the Fascist Italian occupation of Ethiopia (1936-1941)." BAHRU ZEWDE Emeritus Professor of History Addis Ababa University "Ezra has done a fantastic job bringing to light part of our history as reflected in the correspondence between HIM and Qes Stjärne. I hope our children and grandchildren will get a glimpse of the impressive inheritage that belongs to them." NAIGZY GEBREMEDHIN Engineer, former Dean, Building College, Addis Ababa;service in the UN