The Influence of Worldview on Ritual Interpretation: Polish American Young Adults and the Christmas Wafer Ritual.

This thesis-project investigates the extent to which worldview influences ritual interpretation. Through field research, eight worldview characteristics of Polish American adults born between 1980 and 1992 were examined against 30 aspects of the Polish Christmas wafer (oplatek) ritual. The study found that worldview characteristics showed clear influences on ritual interpretation, but not in predictable ways. Because the Roman Catholic Church considers the oplatek ritual a domestic devotion, the ecclesiologies of four blessings of households contribute to the theological context for this study. Pastoral responses are offered for those in ministry to and with young adults and Polish Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]