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| − | '''Common Era''', also known as '''Current Era''', abbreviated '''CE''', [http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/history_print.html] What is nowadays called the 'Current Era' traditionally begins with the birth of a Jewish teacher called [[Jesus]]. His followers came to believe he was the promised Messiah and later split away from Judaism to found Christianity, (Religion & Ethics, BBC [http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-the-western-islamic-and-jewish-calendars.htm], What is the Difference Between the Western, Islamic, and Jewish calendars? [http://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-wisegeek.htm] Dictionaries: Common Era, Collins Dictionary of the English Language, ISBN 0 00 433080-3| "another name for Christian Era." [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Common%20Era] ''The American Heritage® Science Dictionary.'' Common Era – The period beginning with the year traditionally thought to have been birth of Jesus. [http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Common%20Era[, Merriam Webster Online Dictionary|year=2003|publisher=Merriam-Webster |http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Common%20Era], ''The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.'' (2004). Houghton Mifflin, "The period coinciding with the Christian era."|[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Common%20Era|title= "Common Era" [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/common%20era] |title= "common era"|publisher=Dictionary.com ''WordNet® 3.0.'' Princeton University, adverb – 1. of the period coinciding with the Christian era; preferred by some writers who are not Christians; 'in 200 CE' [syn: CE] — noun – 1. the time period beginning with the supposed year of Christ's birth [syn: Christian era] [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/CE] [http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/CE|title=CE] Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, CE – Function: abbreviation – 3 Christian Era —often punctuated; Common Era —often punctuated | + | '''''Before''''' '''Common Era''' (also known as [[Christianity|Christian]] Era and Current Era; abbreviated CE is a designation for the period of time beginning with year 1 of the proleptic [[Gregorian calendar]]. An earlier date is then designated '''BCE''', described as "Before the Common, Christian, or Current Era". The numbering of years is identical to the numbering in the Anno Domini [[system]], neither system using a year zero. Originating among Christians in Europe at least as early as 1615 (at first in [[Latin]]), Common Era notation has been adopted in several non-Christian [[cultures]], by many scholars in [[Religion|religious studies]] and other academic fields, and by others wishing to be sensitive to non-Christians, since Common Era does not explicitly make use of religious titles for [[Jesus]], such as Christ and Lord, which are used in the AD/BC notation. The use of BCE and CE has been criticized by some (who favor the BC/AD system) as being in their view "the result of secularization" and "political correctness". |
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| − | is a designation for the period of time beginning with year 1 of the [[Gregorian calendar]]. An earlier date is then designated '''BCE''', described as "Before the Common or Current Era".[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/BCE] ''The American Heritage® Science Dictionary.'' (© 2002). Houghton Mifflin, "Abbreviation for before the Common Era. [http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BCE] [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/B.C.E.] ''The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition.'' (2005). Houghton Mifflin, "B.C.E. – An abbreviation sometimes used in place of b.c. It means 'before the Common Era.' – [Chapter:] ''Conventions of Written English''[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/B.C.E.]| | + | The Gregorian calendar is the calendar system with most widespread usage in the world today. For decades, it has been the unofficial global standard, recognized by international institutions such as the United Nations and the Universal Postal Union. |
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| − | The numbering of years is identical to the numbering in the [[Anno Domini]] system, neither system using a [[year zero]]. Two separate systems that also do not use religious titles, the [[Astronomical year numbering|astronomical system]] and the [[ISO 8601]] standard do use a [[year zero]]. The year 1 BCE (identical to the year 1 BC) is represented as 0 in the astronomical system, and as 0000 in ISO 8601. | + | The abbreviation '''BCE''', just as with BC, always follows the year number. Unlike AD, which traditionally precedes the year number, CE always follows the year number (if [[context]] requires that it be written at all). Thus, the current year is written as 2008 in both systems (or, if further clarity is needed, as 2008 CE, or as AD 2008), and the year that [[Socrates]] died is represented as 399 BCE (the same year that is represented by 399 BC in the BC/AD system). The abbreviations are sometimes written with small capital letters, or with periods (e.g., "BCE" or "C.E.").[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era] |
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| − | The only difference between "BC/AD" and "BCE/CE" is that the term '''Common Era''' does not use the religious titles for Jesus ("Lord" and "[[Christ]]") that are explicit in "anno Domini" and "before Christ". Originating among Christians at least as early as 1762, Common Era notation has been adopted by many non-Christians, and also by some Christians wanting to be sensitive to non-Christians.[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060527/ai_n16436633[ "BCE date designation called more sensitive", Andrew Herrmann, Chicago Sun-Times, Herrmann observes, "The changes — showing up at museums, in academic circles and in school textbooks — have been touted as more sensitive to people of faiths outside of Christianity." However, Herrmann notes, "The use of BCE and CE have rankled some Christians}}.
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| − | The use of BCE and CE has been criticized by some who favor the BC/AD system as being "the result of secularization" and "political correctness". [[http://www.sbcannualmeeting.org/sbc00/Res.asp?ID=1295130456] Southern Baptist Convention 2000, Resolution 9] "Please maintain the Common/Current/Christian Era names & "Before..." + their abbreviations CE & BCE within the FIRST paragraph.
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| − | The abbreviation BCE, just as with BC, always follows the year number. Unlike AD, which traditionally precedes the year number, CE always follows the year number (if context requires that it be written at all). [http://www.bartleby.com/68/20/120.html], The Columbia Guide to Standard American English – A.D., B.C., (A.)C.E., B.C.E., 1993, Wilson, Kenneth G.
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| − | Thus, the current year is written as {{CURRENTYEAR}} in both systems (or, if further clarity is needed, as {{CURRENTYEAR}} CE, or as AD {{CURRENTYEAR}}), and the year [[Socrates]] died is represented as 399 BCE (the same year that is represented by 399 BC in the AD/BC system). The abbreviations are sometimes written with small capital letters, or with [[full stop|periods]] [http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/about15_rules.html] , Major Rule Changes in The Chicago Manual of Style, Fifteenth Edition, University of Chicago Press, "Certain abbreviations traditionally set in small caps are now in full caps (AD, BCE, and the like), with small caps an option." | |
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| − | ==Origins==
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| − | The Anno Domini system was devised by the [[monk]] [[Dionysius Exiguus]], while he was, in Rome, working on a [[Dionysius Exiguus' Easter table|table]] to establish future dates for [[Easter]]. When he devised his table, Julian calendar years were identified by [[regnal year]]s and by naming the [[consul]]s who held office that year. He wished to replace the [[Diocletian]] years that had been used, because he did not wish to continue the memory of a persecutor of Christians. In the process, he determined a year for the beginning of the life of [[Jesus]]. Whether he intended the year of Jesus' birth or his conception is an issue still debated. Many historians and Biblical scholars place the birth of Jesus from one to about six years earlier than Dionysius calculated. These scholars include [[D. A. Carson]], [[Douglas J. Moo]] and [[Leon Morris]]. ''An Introduction to the New Testament.'' Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992, 54, 56; [[Michael Grant (author)|Michael Grant]], ''Jesus: An Historian's Review of the Gospels'', Scribner's, 1977, p. 71; [[John P. Meier]], ''A Marginal Jew'', Doubleday, 1991–, vol. 1:214; [[E. P. Sanders]], ''The Historical Figure of Jesus'', Penguin Books, 1993, pp. 10–11, and [[Ben Witherington III]], "Primary Sources," ''Christian History'' 17 (1998) No. 3:12–20. He gave a method to calculate "''annos ab incarnatione Domini nostri Jesu Christi''" ([[Latin]] for ''years since the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ''). Dionysius, Nineteen Year Cycle of Dionysius [http://hbar.phys.msu.ru/gorm/chrono/paschata.htm] [http://the-light.com/cal/DionysiusArgumenta.txt], Nineteen Year Cycle of Dionysius, "In this document, Dionysius used both "''annis Christi''" and "''anni Domini nostri Jesu Christi''" for titles and headings. He also used ''"annos Domini", "annos ab incarnatione Domini nostri Jesu Christi", "annos incarnationis Domini nostri Jesu Christi", "annus ab incarnatione Domini nostri Jesu Christi"'', and "''anni ab incarnatione Domini''". He made no reference in this document to years before Jesus. He himself stated that the then current year was 525 years since the incarnation of Jesus.
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| − | Some two centuries later in northern England, the Venerable [[Bede]] began the process of bringing the AD system Dionysius had invented into general use in Western Europe, when he (Bede) used it to date the events in his [[Ecclesiastical History of the English People]], completed in 731. Bede also used another Latin term "''ante uero incarnationis dominicae tempus''" ("the time before the Lord's true incarnation"), equivalent to the [[English language|English]] "[[before Christ]]", to identify years before the first year of this era.[http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bede/bede1.shtml], ''Historiam ecclesiasticam gentis Anglorum'', Book 1, Chapter 2, first sentence.
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| − | According to the ''General Chronology'' article in the 1914 ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', usage of AD gradually became more common in Europe in the latter part of the ninth century, and, while it occurred occasionally in papal documents of the time of John XIII (965-972), it was not the rule before the 12th century.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04636c.htm], B. M. Lersch, Einleitung in die Chronologie, 2 vols., Freiburg, 1899 (vol. ii. on Christian Calendar) p. 233. In 1422, [[Portugal]] became the last [[Western Europe]]an country to [[Spanish era|switch to]] the ''Anno Domini'' system.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03738a.htm], General Chronology, New Advent [[Catholic Encyclopedia]]
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| − | The term "Common Era" is traced back in English to its appearance as "Vulgar Era" (from the Latin word ''vulgus'', the common people, i.e. those who are not royalty) at a time when vulgar did not mean "crudely indecent". In Latin, ''Common Era'' is written as ''Vulgaris Aera''. The first instance of this found so far in Latin is in a 1762 book by Laurentis Joanne Bertie, entitled ''Ecclesiasticae historiae breviarium. Editio, post secundam venetam. Pars prima quae compectitur Chronologiae Rudimenta. Pars secunda quae progreditur usque ad unnum Vulgaris Aera''; [http://www.antiqbook.de/boox/haker/207860.shtml]
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| − | A 1716 book by Dean [[Humphrey Prideaux]] says, "The vulgar era, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation." Merriam Webster accepts the date of 1716, but does not give the source. [http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/vulgarera], Merriam Webster Online entry for ''Vulgar Era'', <!--- Prideaux text not found yet. Note religioustolerance likely has wrong Prideaux (theirs was dead in 1716). See [[Talk:Common Era#First_usage_of_.22Vulgar_Era.22_or_.22Common_Era.22_in_English]]
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| − | The phrase "common era" was used as an English synonym for "vulgar era" at least as early as 1770, in a translation of a book originally written in German. Hooper, William, Bielfeld, Jacob Friedrich |title=The Elements of Universal Eurdition (v. 2) [http://books.google.com/books?id=gBETAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=%22Common+Era%22+date:1-1800&as_brr=0&ei=aMzpRqzoMoz06gK06NFh] In 1835, in his book ''Living Oracles'', [[Alexander Campbell (Restoration movement)|Alexander Campbell]], wrote: "The vulgar Era, or Anno Domini; the fourth year of Jesus Christ, the first of which was but eight days",[http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/acampbell/tlo4/TLO400L4.HTM] The Living Oracles, Fourth Edition also refers to the ''common era'' as a synonym for ''vulgar era'' with "The fact that our Lord was born on the 4th year before the vulgar era, called Anno Domini, thus making (for example) the 42d year from his birth to correspond with the 38th of the common era..."[http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/acampbell/tlo4/TLO400L3.HTM] The Living Oracles, Fourth Edition. The 1914 ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' uses the sentence: "Foremost among these [various eras] is that which is now adopted by all civilized peoples and known as the Christian, Vulgar or Common Era, in the twentieth century of which we are now living."
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| − | Sometime in the 1800s, "vulgar" came to mean "crudely indecent" and it was no longer a synonym for "common".
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| − | During the 1800s, the phrase "common era", in [[lower case]], was frequently used in a ''generic'' sense, not necessarily to refer to the Christian Era, but to any system of dates in common use throughout a civilization. Thus, "the common era of the Jews,"[http://books.google.com/books?as_brr=1&id=GMfyJ2PeD-cC&q=%22common+era+of+the+jews%22&pgis=1], "the common era of the Jews places the creation in BC 3760", The Popular Encyclopedia, The first and second Advent: or, The past and the future with reference to the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God, Rev. Bourchier Wrey Savile, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC06242532&id=e6oCAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA4-PA176&lpg=RA4-PA176&dq=%22common+era+of+the+jews%22] p. 176]: "Hence the present year, 1858, in the common era of the Jews, is AM 5618-5619, a difference of more than 200 years from our commonly-received chronology." "the common era of the Mahometans," Practical tables for the reduction of Mahometan dates to the Christian calendar,
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| − | [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0fwEvTcklALB0qLg&id=M2UBAAAAQAAJ&q=%22common+era+of+the%22&dq=%22common+era+of+the%22&pgis=1] p. 2]: "The common era of the Mahometans, as has already been stated, is that of the flight of Mahomet." "the common era of the foundation of Rome." Universal History: From the Creation of the World to the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century, Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC02547184&id=6FKHIeUQ2J0C&pg=RA2-PA284&lpg=RA2-PA284&dq=%22common+era+of+the%22 p. 284] When it did refer to the Christian Era, it was sometimes qualified, e.g., "the common era of the Nativity of Our Lord", St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, A Memoir of his Life and Mission, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0pr5xy5IPyQABkz3&id=ZcoCAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA2-PA497&lpg=RA2-PA497&dq=%22the+common+era+of+the+Nativity+of+Our+Lord%22#PRA2-PA497,M1] p. 497]: "It should be observed, however, that these years correspond to 492 and 493, a portion of the annals of Ulster being counted from the Incarnation, and being, therefore, one year before the common era of the Nativity of our Lord." or "the common era of the birth of our Saviour." A smaller Scripture history, , [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC04820858&id=j7sCAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA2-PA216&lpg=RA2-PA216&dq=%22common+era+of+the%22 p. 216], ""
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| − | Some Jewish academics were already using the ''CE'' and ''BCE'' abbreviations by the mid-1800s, such as in 1856, when Rabbi and historian, [[Morris Jacob Raphall]] used the abbreviation in his book, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC02551244&id=8mkuPwXVoicC&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=%22B.+C.+E.%22&as_brr=1#PPA1,M1 ''Post-Biblical History of The Jews''].
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| − | ====Other associations====
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| − | An adapted translation of ''Common Era'' into Latin as ''Era Vulgaris'' (instead of ''Vulgaris Aera''<ref name=VulgarisAera />) was adopted in the 20th century by some followers of [[Aleister Crowley]], and thus the abbreviation "e.v." or "EV" may sometimes be seen as a replacement for AD. [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/EV|title=Era vulgaris]Thelemapedia: The Encyclopaedia of Thelema and Magick, [http://www.egc.org.uk/egc/egc_thelema.shtml] What is Thelema?|accessdate=2007-12-07
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| − | The Latin word ''era'' actually means ''mistress'' in English, not ''era''. Crowley deliberately chose "Era Vulgaris" for its association with the notion of "vulgarity", and thus its association with an amoral and un-Christian age.
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| − | ==Usage==
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| − | The terms "Common Era", "''Anno Domini''", "Before the Common Era" and "Before Christ" can be applied to dates that rely on either the [[Julian calendar]] or the [[Gregorian calendar]]. Modern dates are understood to be in the Gregorian calendar, but for older dates writers should specify the calendar used. Dates in the Gregorian calendar have always used the Common Era, but over the millennia a wide variety of eras have been used with the Julian calendar.
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| − | Although Jews have their own [[Jewish Calendar]], they often find it convenient to use the Gregorian Calendar as well. The reasons for some using Common Era notation are described below:{{quotation|Jews do not generally use the words "A.D." and "B.C." to refer to the years on the Gregorian calendar. "A.D." means "the year of our L-rd," and we do not believe Jesus is the L-rd. Instead, we use the abbreviations C.E. (Common or Christian Era) and B.C.E. (Before the Common Era).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/calendar.html#Years | title=Jewish Calendar: Numbering of Jewish Years | publisher=Jewish Virtual Library | accessdate=2007-09-02}}</ref>}}Indeed, Common Era notation has also been in use for Hebrew lessons for "more than a century".<ref name="Gormley">{{cite news | author=Michael Gormley | date=[[24 April]] [[2005]] | title= "Use of B.C. and A.D. faces changing times"] | publisher=[[Houston Chronicle]] |url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2005_3864650 |accessdate=2007-08-30 | page=A–13}} (Registration required.)</ref>
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| − | Some American academics in the fields of [[education]] and [[history]] have adopted CE and BCE notation although there is some disagreement.<ref>See, for example, the Society for Historical Archaeology state in their more recent style guide "Do not use C.E. (current era) ... or B.C.E.; convert these expressions to A.D. and B.C."{{cite web | url = http://www.sha.org/publications/style_guide.htm#V-d | title = Style Guide | accessmonthday = August 29 | accessyear = 2007 | author = Society for Historical Archaeology | month = December | year = 2006 }}. Whereas the [[American Anthropological Association]] style guide{{cite web | url = http://www.aaanet.org/pubs/style_guide.pdf | title = AAA Style Guide | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006 | author = American Anthropological Society | month = January | year = 2003 }} takes a different approach. </ref> The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, which is the leading publishing body of the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], uses CE and BCE exclusively in its publications.<ref> [http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=BCE&hl=en&num=100&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=watchtower.org%2F&as_rights=&safe=images] [http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&hl=en&as_qdr=all&q=BC+site%3Awatchtower.org%2F&meta=] Also see, for example, comment "In this publication, instead of the traditional 'AD' and 'BC', the more accurate 'CE' (Common Era) and 'BCE' (before the Common Era) are used." in ''The Bible — God's Word or Man's?'', p. 16 footnote, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.</ref> More visible uses of Common Era notation have recently surfaced at major museums in the English-speaking world: The [[Smithsonian Institution]] prefers Common Era usage, though individual museums are not required to use it.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/field_trips/standards/world_history_standards.html | title = World History Standards | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006 | author = Smithsonian Institute | work = Smithsonian Education}}</ref> Furthermore, several style guides now prefer or mandate its usage.<ref>{{cite journal | url = http://www.egyptstudy.org/ostracon/guidelines.html | journal = The Ostracon —
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| − | Journal of the Egyptian Studies Society | title = Submission Guidelines for ''The Ostracon'' | quote = For dates, please use the now-standard "BCE-CE" notation, rather than "BC-AD." Authors with strong religious preferences may use "BC-AD," however. | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006}}<br>- {{cite journal | url = http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/natrel/pom/pomstyle.html | journal = The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies | title = Contributer Guidelines | quote = All dates should be in the format BCE/CE, unless in quoted material. | accessmonthday = August 10 | accessyear = 2007 }}<br>- {{cite journal | url = http://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/american_journal_of_philology/guidelines.html | journal = American Journal of Philology | title = Author Guidelines | quote = Eras and dates. The journal prefers B.C.E., C.E., 12 December 1999. | accessmonthday = August 10 | accessyear = 2007 }}<br>- {{cite web | url = http://www.sagepub.com/journalManuscript.aspx?pid=10754 | journal = Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha | title = Manuscript Submission Guidelines | quote = we prefer BCE, CE | accessmonthday = August 10 | accessyear = 2007 }}<br>- {{cite journal | url = http://www.yorku.ca/topia/docs/styleguide | format = DOC | journal = Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies | title = Style Guide | quote = Please use BCE (Before Current Era) and CE (Current Era) rather than B.C. and A.D. | accessmonthday = August 10 | accessyear = 2007 }}</ref> Even some style guides for Christian churches prefer its use: for example, the Episcopal Diocese ''Maryland Church News''.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ang-md.org/mcn/style_guide.pdf | title = Maryland Church News Submission Guide & Style Manual | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006 | work = Maryland Church News | format = PDF | date= 2005-04-01}}</ref>
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| − | In the [[United States]], the usage of the BCE/CE notation in [[textbook]]s is growing.<ref name="Gormley"/> Some publications have moved over to using it exclusively. For example, the 2007 World Almanac was the first edition to switch over to the BCE/CE usage, ending a 138-year usage of the traditional BC/AD dating system. It is used by the [[College Board]] in its history tests,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/history_world/topic.html?worldhist | title = AP: World History | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> by the [[Norton Anthology of English Literature]], and by the [[United States Naval Observatory]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/calendars.html | title = Introduction to Calendars | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006 | publisher = U. S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department | date= 2004-10-15}}</ref> Others have taken a different approach. The US-based [[History Channel]] uses BCE/CE notation in articles on non-Christian religious topics such as [[Religious significance of Jerusalem#Jerusalem, Jews and Judaism|Jerusalem and Judaism]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=50287&display_order=3&mini_id=1051 | title = Jerusalem Timeline | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006 | publisher = History Channel}};{{cite web | url = http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=992&display_order=2&mini_id=1051 | title = Jerusalem: Biographies | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006 | publisher = History Channel}}</ref> and uses BC (but neither CE nor AD) in other cases.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.history.com/wt.do?century=1BC | title = History Channel Timeline | accessmonthday = September 9 | accessyear = 2006 | publisher = History Channel }}</ref> Whereas, in June 2006, the Kentucky State School Board reversed its decision that would have included the designations BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era) in referring to dates.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tffky.org/articles/Press%20Releases/prs%2006-14-06%20MC.html| title = State School Board reverses itself on B.C./A.D. controversy| accessmonthday = October 4 | accessyear = 2006 | publisher = Family Foundation of Kentucky}}</ref>
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| − | In some formerly [[Communism|Communist]], predominantly Christian societies, the designation ''New Era'' (or ''Our Era'') was encouraged by Communist authorities to replace BC and AD. In [[Bulgaria]], for example, ''пр.н.е.'' (''преди новата ера'', before the new era, or ''преди нашата ера'', before our era) and ''н.е.'' (''от новата ера'', of the new era, or ''от нашата ера'', of our era) are still widely used by atheists/agnostics instead of traditional ''пр.Хр.'' (''преди Христа'', BC) and ''сл.Хр.'' (''след Христа'', after Christ), which were unofficially reinstituted after the Communist period.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} The Chinese use the term "[[Chinese era name#How the Era System worked|Common Era]] (公元)."
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| − | ===Arguments for and against usage of BCE notation===
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| − | A range of arguments exist both for and against the use of CE and BCE in place of AD and BC.
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| − | ====Support====
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| − | Supporters of Common Era notation promote it as a religiously-neutral notation suited for cross-cultural communication due to compatibility with [[religious toleration]] and [[religious pluralism]].
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| − | Arguments for using the Common Era designation include:
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| − | * Use of BCE and CE shows sensitivity to those who agree to use the same calendar, but are not [[Christianity|Christian]].<ref name=RELTOL>{{cite web | url = http://www.religioustolerance.org/ce.htm | title = Controversy over use of "CE" and "BCE" to identify dates in history| accessmonthday = October 4 | accessyear = 2006 | publisher = ReligiousTolerance.com}}</ref>
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| − | * AD and BC have not lost their religious significance. Many of those arguing to retain the BC/AD abbreviations are doing so for explicit religious reasons. For example, the Southern Baptist Convention resolved, in 2000, to retain the traditional abbreviations as "a reminder of the preeminence of Christ and His gospel in world history."<ref> [http://www.sbcannualmeeting.org/sbc00/Res.asp?ID=1295130456 Southern Baptist Convention 2000, Resolution 9]</ref>
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| − | * The label ''Anno Domini'' is almost certainly inaccurate; "scholars generally believe that Christ was born some years before A.D. 1, the historical evidence is too sketchy to allow a definitive dating."<ref>{{cite book| last=Doggett| first=L.| chapter=Calendars| title=Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac| year=1992| publisher=University Science Books| location=Sausalito, CA| isbn=0-935702-68-7| editor=P. Kenneth Seidelmann| pages=579}}</ref>
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| − | * It is simple to change from BC/AD to BCE/CE notation, since the years are numbered identically in both (e.g., 33 BC becomes 33 BCE), Documents with years that do not have AD designation do not need to be changed at all (e.g., 1066 remains 1066 in AD and in CE systems).<ref name=espenak>{{cite web | url=http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEhelp/dates.html | title=Year dating conventions | author=Fred Espenak | publisher=[[NASA]] | quote=Fortunately, there is an alternative which preserves the year numbering established by Exiguus and now an unavoidable legacy of the historical record. | accessdate=2007-09-07}}</ref>
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| − | * Both BCE and CE are used as suffixes, unlike BC/AD where BC is used as a suffix and AD as a prefix. This can be beneficial for computer usage.<ref name=espenak />
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| − | ====Opposition====
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| − | Efforts to replace AD/BC notation with CE/BCE notation have given rise to opposition.
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| − | Arguments against using the Common Era designation include:
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| − | * The year-numbering system most widely used in the world is the one based on the supposed year of the Incarnation of Jesus, and removal of all reference to him in the era notation for that system is perceived by some Christians as offensive.<ref>Whitney, Susan, "Altering history? Changes have some asking 'Before what?'" The Deseret News, December 2, 2006. Whitney, for instance, quotes Lori Wentz, who argues that, "Whether or not someone believes in Christ, the culture and politics of his time eventually came together to form our way of keeping historical time...It's 2006 this year for anyone on Earth that is participating in day-to-day world commerce and communication. Two thousand six years since what? Most people know, regardless of their belief system, and aren't offended by a historical fact." http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20061202/ai_n16891064</ref>
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| − | * The alteration of BC/AD to BCE/CE partially effaces an important contribution of Christianity to world culture. <ref>Rodriguez, Nancy C. and Peter Smith, "Ky. school board to look at replacing A.D., B.C. in dates", The Courier-Journal, April 11, 2006.</ref>
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| − | * It is inconsistent to remove this religious reference and not remove other religiously-derived words such as the day names or month names derived originally from various pagan deities, such as January = [[Janus]]' month, Wednesday = [[Woden]]'s day, Thursday = [[Thor]]'s day, Friday = [[Freya]]'s day.<ref name=RTO-CE>{{cite web|url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/ce.htm|title=Controversy over the use of "CE" and "BCE" to identify dates in history|accessmonthday=July 18|accessyear=2007}}</ref>.
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| − | * The use of identifiers which have common spellings is more ambiguous than the use of identifiers with divergent spellings. Both C.E. and B.C.E. have in common the letters "C.E.", which is more likely to cause confusion than identifiers with clearly different spelling.<ref name=RTO-CE/>
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| − | * The BCE/CE promotion distracts from the adoption of the system already used by astronomers, i.e. 0 for 1 BC, -1 for 2 BC, etc., which does resolve this problem and does not use any of the contentious acronyms.<ref>History Today, June 1999, p. 60, Darian Hiles, letter: "Of Dates and Decimals"</ref>
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| − | *"If we do end by casting aside the A.D./B.C. convention, almost certainly some will argue that we ought to cast aside as well the conventional numbering system itself, given its Christian basis." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bartleby.com/68/20/120.html|title=The Columbia Guide to Standard American English|year=1993|author=Kenneth G. Wilson|accessdate=2007-12-12}}</ref>
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| − | ==See also==
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| − | *[[Calendar era]], for an outline of different dating systems that have been or are currently used throughout the world
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| − | *[[Calendar reform]]
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| − | *Within the context of [[archeology]] and [[geology]], one also encounters the term [[Before present]] (also known as ''before physics'') with the abbreviation '''BP''' to indicate dates in years before 1950.
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | *[http://www.religioustolerance.org/ce.htm The use of "CE" and "BCE" to identify dates] (Religious Tolerance.org)
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| − | <!-- Broken link: *[http://www.ucc.org/ucnews/jan03/asiseeit.htm Whatever happened to B.C. and A.D., and why?] (United Church of Christ) -->
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| − | *[http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEhelp/dates.html NASA: Year dating conventions]
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| − | <!-- Broken link: *[http://washingtontimes.com/national/20050425-122707-1314r.htm Associated Press: P.C. scholars take Christ out of B.C.] -->
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| − | *[http://www.bartleby.com/68/20/120.html The Columbia Guide to Standard American English (1993): A.D., B.C., (A.)C.E., B.C.E.]
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| | [[Category:General Reference]] | | [[Category:General Reference]] |
