Community And Unity

Q. My question is regarding the words ‘community’ and ‘unity’. Do you happen to know the sources of these 2 words? I hear them now in prayers and in sermons, and read them in books. They seem to be the new buzz words for Christians.

A. Community is a word of Latin origin that doesn’t appear in major English language translations of the Bible. It commonly refers to a group that shares locality, social, religious, occupational or other interests that distinguish it from the larger population. Unity does appear in the English language Bible. It’s translated from both Hebrew and Greek sources and means to be united or together.

I think their current popularity among English speaking believers is due mostly to the fact that the two words rhyme in addition to being similar in meaning. This gives them added emphasis when used together.