“From Infinite World: The Sound of the Hammond Organ and the Tragedy of AIDS in the Black Church”
by Ashon Thomas Crawley
W. W. Norton & Company, 2026, 512 pages

At A Glance: “From Infinite World” is a rich and haunting exploration of Blackqueer creativity, gospel music, and the devastating impact of AIDS within the Black church.

Overview: “From Infinite World: The Sound of the Hammond Organ and the Tragedy of AIDS in the Black Church” examines the complicated relationship between Black churches, gospel music, queerness, and the AIDS crisis through the story of the Hammond organ and the musicians who shaped its sound. Blending memoir, history, theology, and cultural criticism, the book traces how Blackqueer artists profoundly shaped worship and gospel music even as many churches rejected and silenced queer lives during the height of the AIDS epidemic.

Written by scholar, artist, and theologian Ashon T. Crawley, the book draws on his experience as a preacher, choir director, and organist to explore the beauty, grief, contradiction, and resilience woven through Black church life. Crawley reflects on how the AIDS crisis altered the sound, culture, and emotional world of gospel music while also examining the ways Blackqueer musicians carried entire worship traditions despite exclusion and stigma.

“From Infinite World” offers an important meditation on memory, artistry, loss, and survival. At its heart is a recognition that Blackqueer creativity has long been central to the life of the church, even when institutions refused to fully honour the people whose gifts shaped its worship and sound.

Thoughts from Readers: