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The Common Era ('''CE'''), sometimes known as the '''Christian Era''' or '''Current Era''', is the period of measured time beginning with the year 1 (the traditional but probably erroneous birthdate of Jesus ) to the present. The notations CE and BCE (Before the Common Era) are alternative notations for AD ('' Anno Domini '', Latin for "in the year of the Lord") and BC (Before Christ). Although the term ''common era'' was first used by some Christians in an age when Christianity was the common religion of the West, it is now a term preferred by some as a religiously neutral alternative. Others criticize it as an unnecessary Euphemism or an attempt at Secular Political Correctness . It has its equivalents in other languages. For example, since the communist People's Republic of China abolished the Republic of China era in 1949, the Chinese have used the literal translation of Common Era, ''gōngyuán'' (公元), for date notation.


CHRONOLOGY AND NOTATION

See Also: Anno Domini



The calendar practice prompting the coining of the term ''common era'' is the system of numbering years from the supposed year of birth of Jesus . This system was devised by the Monk Dionysius Exiguus in the year 525, who named it ''anno Domini''. Two centuries later, the Anglo-Saxon historian Bede used a Latin term (''ante incarnationis dominicae'') that is roughly equivalent to the English term '' Before Christ '' to identify years before the first year of this era.

The term "common era" is an alternative way of referring to this era. Using this nomenclature, Human Being s first Walked On The Moon in the year 1969 ''of the common era'', and the French Revolution is considered to have occurred in year 1789 ''of the common era''.

When used as a replacement for BC/AD notation, the common era is abbreviated as ''CE'' and its years are numerically equivalent to ''AD'' years. Similarly, the time before the common era is written as ''BCE'' and is equivalent to ''BC''. Both Common Era abbreviations are written following the year, thus Aristotle was born in 384 BC (or 384 BCE), and Genghis Khan died in AD 1227 (or 1227 CE). As with ''anno Domini'', the Year Zero is not used, except for Astronomical Uses . So 1 CE is immediately preceded by 1 BCE.

On (rare) occasions , one may find the abbreviation "e.v." or "EV" instead of "CE"; this stands for "Era Vulgaris", the Latin translation of "Common Era".


ORIGINS

According to Peter Daniels (a Cornell University and University Of Chicago trained linguist):

CE and BCE came into use in the last few decades, perhaps originally in Ancient Near Eastern studies, where (a) there are many Jewish scholars and (b) dating according to a Christian era is irrelevant. It is indeed a question of sensitivity.


However, the term "common era" has earlier antecedents. A 1716 book by English Bishop John Prideaux says, "The vulgar era, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation." In 1835, in his book ''Living Oracles'', or Common Era, in the twentieth century of which we are now living."

"Vulgar" comes from the Latin word ''vulgāris'' (from ''vulgus'', the common people), meant "of or belonging to the common people, everyday," and acknowledges that the date was commonly used, even by people who did not believe that Jesus was divine. By the late 1800s, however, vulgar had come to mean "crudely indecent" and the Latin word was replaced by its English equivalent, "common".

The first known Jewish use of this practice is from an inscription on a gravestone in a Jewish cemetery in Plymouth, England :

Here is buried his honour Judah ben his honour Joseph, a prince and honoured amongst philanthropists, who executed good deeds, died in his house in the City of Bath, Tuesday, and was buried here on Sunday, 19 Sivan in the year 5585. In memory of Lyon Joseph Esq (merchant of Falmouth, Cornwall ). who died at Bath June AM 5585/VE 1825. Beloved and respected.


This inscription uses the Jewish calendar (5585), but ends by providing the common year (1825); presumably the "VE" means "Vulgar Era", and presumably VE was used instead of AD in order to avoid the Christian implications.


USAGE

Some Jewish, Islamic scholars and others outside the Judeo-Christian religious traditions have used the system. Some Christians have used the term CE to mean "Christian era." Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian group, uses this term in all its publications and have stated that it is more accurate than B.C. Many non-religious academics in the fields of History , Theology , Archaeology and Anthropology have also in recent decades begun using this system.

More visible uses of common era notation have recently surfaced at major museums in the English-speaking world: The Diocese of Maryland. (pdf)

The usage of the BCE/CE notation is growing in Textbook s. It is used by the College Board in its history tests, as well as by the National Geographic Society and the United States Naval Observatory . {Link without Title}

The US History Channel uses BCE/CE notation in articles on non-Christian religious topics such as Jerusalem And Judaism and BC/AD in other cases [http://www.historychannel.com/timeline/ .


SUPPORT

Supporters of common era notation promote it as a religiously neutral notation suited for cross-cultural use.

Arguments given for standardizing common era notation include:
  • The calendar used by the West has become a global standard — one built into every computer's hardware. It should be religiously and culturally neutral out of consideration for those cultures compelled to use it out of necessity. {Link without Title}

  • It has been largely used by academic and scientific communities for over a century now, and is not a completely unfamiliar dating system.

  • Dating years according to Christian theology has the potential to be culturally divisive in worldwide use. Naming months and days based on Roman and Norse gods, however, is of little concern because the Roman and Norse religions are virtually extinct and thus exclude everyone equally. No alternative naming system for days and months exists which has gained much currency. Furthermore, the names of the days of the week come from the names of the planets and other celestial objects, and four months are already named according to their numerical sequence. People in other cultures are free to name the months and days of the week as they wish in their own language (and they do), but years are just numbers and it is quite easy to make them less overtly culturally specific. {Link without Title}

  • Going along with the naming of a day as Wednesday does not imply that one worships Odin as a god, anymore than going along with calling a planet Jupiter implies that one actually worships Jupiter as a god, or even considers him a god. However, the very meanings of AD and of BC are such that they imply the acceptance of Jesus as Christ and as Lord. Saying "Today is Wednesday" does not mean that one attributes divinity to Odin. Saying "This is AD 2006" does actually mean "This is the year of the Lord (Jesus), 2006".

  • It promotes Ecumenical standards and ''Christian Era'' is an interchangeable meaning for the acronym CE.

  • It is simple to change BC/AD to BCE/CE notation, since it represents the same system regardless of which notation is used. Documents with years that do not have AD designation do not need to be changed. (example: 1066 remains 1066 in AD and in CE systems)

  • The label ''Anno Domini'' is almost certainly inaccurate — the birth of Jesus of Nazareth probably occurred no later than 4 BC, the year of Herod The Great 's death.

  • The intensity with which some Christians protest any switch from BC/AD to BCE/CE indicates that, despite any claims to the contrary, BC/AD has not become "removed from its religious connotations".

  • Common Era notation works well syntactically with centuries, whereas Anno Domini, because it is about years instead of eras, does not ("In the 18th Century, Common Era" vs "In the year of the Lord, 18th Century" vs "In the 19th century in the year of the Lord")



OPPOSITION

Efforts to replace AD/BC notation with CE/BCE notation have given rise to opposition. Arguments against the common era designation include:

  • Some object to the common era's retention of the year 1 as its Epoch because it preserves a Christocentric worldview at the expense of a religiously neutral timekeeping system. These people hold that a more massive change in the calendar is needed, one that would change every date.

  • Likewise, the imposition of a Christian calendar as a 'Common Era' is also seen by some to be self-defeating.

  • BCE/CE fails to fix one of the primary problems with the Christian calendar, the lack of a year '0'. 1 BC should become the year 0, 2 BC should become 1 BC, etc. There is no point to changing the system, without fixing the system.

  • As there is no equally forceful trend to remove other terms with origins in non-Christian religions (such as days of the week named after Norse gods), the movement to replace BC and AD is specifically anti-Christian.


Examples of opposition include:
  • When BC was changed to BCE in one examination question in New South Wales , Australia in early 2005, it prompted questions and protestations of offence in both chambers of the State Parliament, and the State Education Minister stated in Parliament that the change should not have been made.

  • When the teaching of what BCE/CE meant was introduced into the English National Curriculum in 2002, it prompted confused letters to national newspapers.

  • When the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada changed from using BC to using BCE, it was subjected to derision as well as complaints expressed in the national Canadian press.



OTHER CALENDAR ERAS

See Also: Calendar era


Several major calendar systems exist in addition to the Western calendar:


SEE ALSO



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