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This book is a culmination of four years of research studies at Kenyatta University in Kenya and Universities of Mainz and Hildesheim in Germany through Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) scholarship programme. The author argues that music, particularly; African Christian hymnody plays a central role in enhancing spiritual growth and socio-cultural development. However, he further notes that theological meaning in African Church music has not been given much scholarly attention. Therefore, he captures the inter-relationship between music, culture and theology by exploring musical and theological meaning in the hymnody of Legio Maria Church (Jolejo) in Kenya. The book illustrates that through hymn singing, the Jolejo commune with each other, thus connecting their individual and collective faith towards realizing their spiritual and physical needs. This book is a must-read for ethnomusicologists, theologians, church leaders, church music directors, cultural policy makers, music educators, and students of music and religion in universities and other institutions of higher learning.

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Dr. Wilson Ol´leka Shitandi: Ph.D., Kenyatta University, is a Lecturer in the Department of Music and Dance at Kenyatta University, Kenya. He has published in book chapters and peer reviewed journals. His research interests are: African Music, Ethnomusicology, Musicology, Hymnology, and Choral Music and the expression of theology through music.

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