Alvin Allison Carmines Jr.

Alvin Allison “Al” Carmines Jr. was born in Hampton, Virginia, on July 25, 1936. He studied English and philosophy at Swarthmore College and then attended Union Theological Seminary in New York, earning a Bachelor of Divinity in 1961 and a Master of Sacred Theology in 1963. Archival and biographical sources identify him as an ordained Baptist minister. In 1961 he joined Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, where his ministry became closely intertwined with experimental theater, music, and the arts.

At Judson, Carmines became an important composer, lyricist, performer, and catalyst in the development of Off-Off-Broadway theater. He wrote music and texts for numerous stage works while also creating sacred songs for congregational use. His later Bible study ministry developed into Rauschenbusch Memorial United Church of Christ, where he served as pastor, and he also taught musical theater.

Carmines wrote both the words and music of “Many Gifts, One Spirit” in 1973 after receiving a commission for an assembly of the Women’s Division of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries. The hymn first appeared in his 1974 collection Go to Galilee: Songs by Al Carmines. His unusual career joined pastoral ministry, experimental theater, and congregational song, making him a distinctive figure in twentieth-century American church music. He died in New York City on August 9, 2005.