United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

Appendix A. Glossary • 521

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by Jesus. When we follow the New Law, we are maintaining our part of the covenant with God. NEW TESTAMENT: The desig nation for the second part of the Bible; this part contains the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, various Letters or Epistles, and the Book of Revelation. NICENE CREED: This creed resulted from the deliberations of the bishops at the Councils of Nicea (AD 325) and First Constantinople (AD 381). These Councils clarified and defended the ancient teachings of the Church about the humanity and divinity of Christ and the divin ity of the Holy Spirit. NOVENA: Nine days of prayer, usually invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary or a saint. The novena traces its development to the scriptural nine days of prayer by Mary, the Apostles, and disciples asking for the gift of the Holy Spirit after the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING: A morally permissible system for the regulation of births, which employs the natural fertility pat terns and can be used within certain conditions of marriage and family life. (See CCC, nos. 2366-2372.) NATURAL LAW: The natural law is our rational apprehension of the created moral order, an ability we have due to our being made in God’s image. It expresses the dig nity of the human person and forms the basis of our fundamental rights. NEOPHYTYE: This term desig nates an adult who has been newly received into the Catholic Church. NESTORIANISM: A significant heresy affecting early Christianity, founded by Nestorius (who died around AD 451) who believed Mary gave birth to the human Jesus, to whom the Son of God was united in some way. Hence Mary would not be the Mother of God. The Council of Ephesus repudi ated Nestorius and proclaimed Mary as Theotokos —Birth-giver of God (sometimes translated as “God-bearer”).

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OBEDIENCE OF FAITH: Faith is hearing the Word of God and resolving to obey what God is ask ing of us. Jesus said, “Blessed are

NEW LAW: The title given to the manner of living and acting taught