HYMNODY IN THE CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST: THEOLOGICAL AND MUSICAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Hymnody refers to the body and practice of hymns within a religious tradition, including their theological content, poetic expression, musical structure, and role in worship. Through hymns, religious beliefs are communicated, remembered, and embodied in congregational singing. In African Indigenous Churches, hymnody occupies a central place in worship and plays a significant role in shaping religious consciousness and communal identity, yet it remains insufficiently examined within multidisciplinary African Studies. This article explores the theological meanings and musical features of selected hymns of the Celestial Church of Christ, an African initiated Christian movement deeply embedded in Yoruba cultural traditions. The study adopts a qualitative approach, drawing on ethnographic observation, semi structured interviews with church leaders and choristers, and close textual and musical analysis of seven hymns commonly performed during Sunday worship services. The findings indicate that hymns in the Celestial Church of Christ extend beyond their liturgical function as songs of praise. They serve as important vehicles for theological teaching, spiritual formation, and the reinforcement of collective identity. The hymn texts engage key Christian themes such as repentance, thanksgiving, divine provision, joy in Christ, and hope in the life to come. Musically, the hymns display characteristics associated with Yoruba musical aesthetics, including rhythmic vitality, melodic simplicity, repetition, and participatory performance practices. The use of indigenous language, familiar imagery, and traditional percussion situates worship within a recognizable cultural sound world, allowing congregants to experience Christian faith through local expressive forms while affirming identity, belonging, and theological meaning within African Christianity contexts today.