Dr. Alan Altany has B.A. and M.A. degrees in Catholic theology, and a Ph.D. in religious studies. Before his academic career as a college and university professor and director of professional faculty development, he worked as a high school and parish religious educator, factory and lawn maintenance worker, farm worker, hotel clerk, etc. He continues to teach (Comparative Religions) on a part-time basis and continues to write poetry. He has also written two novels dealing with spiritual quest and Christian mysticism.
In 2022 Dr. Altany published A Beautiful Absurdity: Christian Poetry of the Sacred. A new book of poetry is published in 2023, entitled The Greatest Longing: Christian Poetry of the Sacred.
As a young man, Dr. Altany published and edited a small magazine of poetry entitled The Beggar’s Bowl. Now in his old age, he hopes this present season of his life is the most creative, original, and fruitful so far, as poet, person, and follower of Christ. His writing is done with the always nearby companionship of his golden retriever, Zeke, whose life of love and play reminds Dr. Altany that love and bliss are our purpose and destiny.