Antony Theodore

Antony Theodore (born 1954) is a bilingual German poet, pastor and educator who writes in both English and German.{{cite web |url= https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/nachrichten/pastor-antony-theodore-liest-aus-seinem-vierten-buch-170947.html |title= Pastor Antony Theodore liest aus seinem vierten Buch |access-date= July 8, 2021 |language= de |archive-date= September 27, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210927092645/https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/nachrichten/pastor-antony-theodore-liest-aus-seinem-vierten-buch-170947.html |url-status= dead }} He writes mostly on spiritual teachings of Jesus Christ and underlying unity of all world religions.{{cite web|url= http://creationandcriticism.com/five_poems_of_antony_theodore.html |title= Creation and Criticism – Poems of Antony Theodore |access-date=July 8, 2021}}{{cite book|last = Mangattu| first = M. | url= https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320264065 |title= Pain Pleasure and Paradox in Poetry |pages = 20–21 | access-date=July 8, 2021}} His spiritual poems are read as sermons at United Church of Christ.{{cite web|url= https://www.iaoucc.org/sermons/12.13.20.pdf |title= Virtual Liturgy – Poem "Crying out in Wilderness" by Antony Theodore |access-date=July 8, 2021}} He has also written spiritual biography of the American mystic Thomas Merton.{{cite book| first =Antony| last=Theodore| url= https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/30320691 | date= January 1, 1993 | access-date = July 6, 2021 | title = Thomas Merton's Mystical Quest for Union with God | pages= 88–92 | oclc=30320691}} More than 5000 of his poems have been posted on various poetry websites like Poem Hunter, where he is consistently ranked among top world poets.{{cite web|url= https://www.poemhunter.com/poets/|title= Top 500 World Poets |access-date=June 12, 2021|publisher=Poem Hunter}}

Life and works

Antony Theodore was born on November 9, 1954, as John Antony Theodore Vazhakuttathil in Alleppey district of Kerala, India.{{cite web|url=https://www.ventura-verlag.de/autorinnen/pastor-antony/ |title=Antony Theodore - Author Information |access-date=June 13, 2021 |publisher=Ventura Verlag}} After early demise of his foster mother Genova Maa, Antony migrated to Germany. He studied at Fordham University in New York City and Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. He obtained two bachelor's degrees and also two doctorate degrees in English literature and philosophy of world religions.{{cite web|url=https://www.kohinoorbooks.com/Antony/ |title=Antony Theodore - Life & Works}}

In 1986 when Antony was travelling from Mumbai to Frankfurt the Pan Am 73 flight carrying him got hijacked at Karachi airport.{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35800683 |title= Inside a Hijacking – Inside Story of Pan Am 73 |first=Megha |last =Mohan |publisher = BBC|date=March 31, 2016|access-date=June 12, 2021}} In the 16 hour siege 22 of the 400 passengers were killed.{{cite web|url= https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/victim-witness-assistance/hijacking-pan-am-flight-73 |title= Hijacking of Pan Am Flight #73 |date= 19 February 2015 |publisher = United States Department of Justice|access-date=June 12, 2021}}{{cite web|url= https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19860930-pan-am-hijack-in-karachi-pakistan-security-forces-handling-of-situation-raises-questions-801277-1986-09-30 |title= Pan Am Hijack in Karachi |publisher = India Today|first=Zahid|last=Hussain| date= September 30, 1986| access-date=July 8, 2021}} Antony miraculously escaped with four gunshot wounds.{{cite web|url=https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5914bd09add7b0493479ff32 |title= Hijacking of Pan Am Airlines - Case Details & Court Order |access-date=June 12, 2021}} After this traumatic experience Antony devoted his life to education and social service. He was ordained a pastor and worked as a chaplain in St Martin, Munich.{{cite web|url= https://www.ventura-verlag.de/autorinnen/pastor-antony/ |title= Pastor Antony - Uberschrift|publisher=Ventura Verlag|access-date=July 8, 2021|language=de}} He has lived and worked most of his life in Dortmund in Germany{{cite web |url= https://www.pv-am-phoenixsee.de/menschen/pastoral-team-2/ |title= Pastoral Team Dortmund – Dr Antony Theodore Vazhakuttathil |access-date= July 8, 2021 |archive-date= October 30, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221030180802/https://www.pv-am-phoenixsee.de/menschen/pastoral-team-2/ |url-status= dead }} although he has retained his association with Diocese of Alleppey.{{cite web|url= http://www.dioceseofalleppey.com/vg/diocesan.php?cmd=priests |title= Diocese of Alleppey – Rev. Fr. Antony Theodore, PhD |access-date=July 8, 2021}} He often conducts charitable fund raising activities for health and social work.{{cite web|url= http://support.mshf.on.ca/site/TR/Events/TeamRaiser-Events?team_id=1260&pg=team&fr_id=1310 |title= Help Combat Covid-19 – Antony Theodore & Friends |access-date=July 8, 2021}}

Poetry and spiritual literature

More than 5000 of Antony's poems have been published on poetry websites like Poet Freak, Poem Hunter, Starlite Cafe, Micropoet and Poet's Garden etc. Besides the teachings of Christ, he has also written extensively on the universal truths expressed in the holy books of other world religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Confucianism and Zoroastrianism etc.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-cwcEAAAQBAJ |title= Book "Jesus Christ in Love" |pages=245–251|isbn= 9788194283539 |access-date=2021-07-08|last1= Theodore |first1= Antony |date= December 2019 |publisher= Kohinoor Books }} His poem anti-abortion poem "I am Your Baby, Mother" has been translated into more than twenty languages including French, Italian, Russian, Greek, Arabic and Hindi.{{cite web|url=https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-am-your-baby-mum/ |title=I Am Your Baby Mum by Antony Theodore |date=26 August 2015 |access-date=July 7, 2021|publisher=Poem Hunter}} His poetic works on comparative world religions titled Psalms of Love{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zmEzEAAAQBAJ |title=Psalms of Love |date=25 March 2021 |isbn=9788195254613 |access-date=January 6, 2022|last1=Theodore |first1=Antony |last2=Pradhan |first2=Dr Tapan Kumar |publisher=Kohinoor Books }} and Jesus Christ in Love{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-cwcEAAAQBAJ |title=Jesus Christ in Love |date=1 December 2019 |isbn=9788194283539 |access-date=January 6, 2022|last1=Theodore |first1=Antony |publisher=Kohinoor Books }} have been edited and commented by the Indian poet Dr Tapan Kumar Pradhan.

Bibliography

=Books in English=

{{cite book | last1 = Theodore | first1 = Antony | last2 = Pradhan | first2 = Tapan Kumar | title = Psalms of Love | publisher = Kohinoor Books | location = New Delhi | year = 2021 | isbn = 978-81-952546-1-3}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = Antony | title = I Am Your Baby, Mother | publisher = Kohinoor Books | location = New Delhi | year = 2020 | isbn = 978-81-945797-2-4}}
{{cite book | last1 = Theodore | first1 = Antony | last2 = Nayak | first2 = Bharati | title = In the Realms of Love and Divinity | publisher = Authorspress | location = New Delhi | year = 2020 | isbn = 978-81-952546-1-3}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = Antony | title = Jesus Christ in Love | publisher = Kohinoor Books | location = New Delhi | year = 2019 | isbn = 978-81-942835-3-9}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = J. Antony | title = In the Shadow of Your Wings | publisher = Pauline Publications | location = Mumbai | year = 2015 | isbn = 978-81-717679-9-1}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = John Antony | title = Song of My Dance and Dance of My Dreams | publisher = Author Press | location = Milton Keynes | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-14-389511-8-8}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = John Antony | title = Divine Moments | publisher = Author Press | location = Milton Keynes | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-14-343562-3-9}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = John Antony | title = Thomas Merton's Mystical Quest for Union with God | publisher = Eos Verlag | location = Verne | year = 1993 | isbn = 978-38-809676-3-2}}

=Books in German=

{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = Antony | title = Du bist die Seele meines Seins | publisher = Ventura Verlaghaus | location = Verne | year = 2016 | isbn = 978-39-408533-9-4}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = Antony | title = Gottliche Augenblicke - Eine Reise durch das Jahr | publisher = Ventura Verlaghaus | location = Verne | year = 2014 | isbn = 978-39-408532-5-7}}
{{cite book | last = Theodore | first = Antony | title = Im Schatten deiner Schwingen | publisher = Ventura Verlaghaus | location = Verne | year = 2013 | isbn = 978-39-408532-0-2}}

=Chapters in books=

{{Citation | last = Theodore | first = Antony | contribution = Relevance of Thomas Merton’s Spirituality | editor-last1 = Jose | editor-first1 = Fabian | title = Contemplative Prophetic Spirituality of Thomas Merton | volume = 1 | publisher = Santa Clara University | location = Berkeley | year = 2018 | edition = 1st | postscript = . |url = }}
{{Citation | last = Theodore | first = Antony | contribution = Humans Are Unique | editor-last1 = Mangattu | editor-first1 = Manu | title = Pain, Pleasure and Paradox in Poetry – A Verse Compendium | volume = 1 | publisher = Smashwords | location = Los Gatos | year = 2016 | edition = 1st | postscript = . |url = }}
{{Citation | last = Theodore | first = Vazhakuttathil | contribution = Thomas Merton’s Spiritual Quest | editor-last1 = Ackermans | editor-first1 = Gian | editor-last2 = Nissen| editor-first2 = Peter | title = De verleiding van het vreemde | volume = 1 | publisher = Verloren | location = Hilversum | year = 2002| edition = 1st | postscript = . |url = }}

=Journal articles=

{{Cite journal | last1 = Theodore | first1 = Antony | title = Five Poems of Antony Theodore | journal = Creation and Criticism | volume = 2 | year = 2016 | issn = 2455-9687 |url= http://creationandcriticism.com/five_poems_of_antony_theodore.html }}