51ÉçÇø

Jackson, Tenn.

Nearly 500 student tickets have been given out, with more students on a waiting list to attend the evening event. Together, the Scholarship Banquet and the Germantown banquet featuring William Bennett held in September, will raise more than $1.3 million benefiting the Germantown campus and student scholarships.

"Gorbachev is one of the most significant figures in 20th century history," said 51ÉçÇø President David S. Dockery. "Though he was, perhaps at points, a reluctant participant, no one else can describe the fall of communism from the perspective that he can."

Ann Livingstone, an associate professor of political science at Union who specializes in international relations, said she is thrilled to have Gorbachev coming to Jackson.

"Gorbachev came into his leadership role during a time when the economic system of Russia and the Soviet Union was on the verge of major change," explained Livingstone.

"The economic system at the time was spending more than 24% on its military forces, but wars were becoming less frequent, and the illusion of remaining a huge world power was becoming more difficult to continue," said Livingstone. "Gorbachev introduced two new ideas to the world - glasnost,
which means political openness, and perestroika, governmental restructuring. He told his cabinet that the
economic system was going to be a more open one, and his military generals told him, 'we will tear you apart.'"

Livingstone believes that anytime a shifting of paradigms occurs, a convulsing of society will follow.

"Here was a man who believed in convulsing the society enough to take the risk - and do it," said Livingstone, who added that people need to appreciate the fact that "in the face of confronting his entire world, he stands there. Could we as individuals have as much passion for an idea or a people that we would put our own lives on the line?"

Dockery noted others who were also making change in the former Soviet Union, such as "those who prayed day in and day out in Russia - the widows who gathered at the Central Church in Moscow to pray daily, the pastors who went to prison, and other faithful believers who continued to hope in God." Dockery pointed out that before the end of the Soviet Union in 1989, there were no missionaries allowed. Since that time, there are now as many missionaries in Russia as any other country in the world.

Gorbachev will speak about the demise of the Soviet Union, and ultimately the loss of his office at the Scholarship Banquet Tuesday night.

"Nobody expected the crash to come as fast, and poverty to be as intense as it was," said Livingstone. "But when you are the person who opens the gates, you take the hit for the change."

Though Gorbachev does not profess to be a Christian, Dockery still believes that he was used by God in bringing an end to communism and the Soviet Union.

"Cyrus allowed the Israelites freedom to return to the Land after the Babylonian captivity and Artaxerxes provided resources to enable Nehemiah to rebuild the Jerusalem Wall, so in the providence of God, it seems to me that Mr. Gorbachev was an instrument for good in opening Russian doors for the gospel, and we are looking forward to hearing what he has to say."