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{{Redirect|BCE}}
{{Redirect|Era Vulgaris |the Queens of the Stone Age album |Era Vulgaris (album)}}

'''Common Era''', abbreviated as '''CE''', is a designation for the world's most commonly used year-numbering system.<ref>[http://asa.usno.navy.mil/SecM/Glossary.html#calendar-gregorian ''Astronomical Almanac -- Online''.] (2009). [[United States Naval Observatory]]. s.v. calendar, Gregorian in Glossary.
</ref><ref>
{{cite book |quote=The Gregorian calendar today serves as an international standard for civil use....Years are counted from the initial epoch defined by Dionysius Exiguus |last=Doggett |first=L. E. |year=1992 |chapter=Calendars |editor=P. K. Seidelmann |title=Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac |location=Sausalito, California |publisher=University Science Books |page=581 |isbn=0-935702-68-7}}
</ref>
The numbering of years using Common Era notation is identical to the numbering used with ''[[Anno Domini]]'' (BC/AD) notation, {{CURRENTYEAR}} being the current year in both notations and neither using a [[year zero]].<ref>
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. Presently, ISO 8601 dating requires usage of the Gregorian calendar for all dates, however; whereas astronomical dating and Common Era dating allow usage of the Julian calendar for dates before 1582 CE.
</ref>
Common Era is also known as '''Christian Era'''<ref>
Dictionaries: Common Era and Christian Era used interchangeably<br />
*{{cite encyclopedia |title=Common Era |encyclopedia=Collins Dictionary of the English Language |year=1980 |publisher=Collins |location=London & Glasgow |id=ISBN 0 00 433080-3 |quote=Com+mon E•ra n. another name for Christian Era.}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/common%20era |title=Common Era |encyclopedia=Merriam Webster Online Dictionary |year=2003 |publisher=Merriam-Webster |quote=Main Entry: Common Era – Function: noun – Date: 1846 – : christian era |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Common%20Era |title="Common Era" |publisher=Dictionary.com ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.'' (2004). Houghton Mifflin |quote=Com•mon Era – n. Abbr. C.E. – The period coinciding with the Christian era. |accessdate=2007-09-09}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Common%20Era |title="Common Era" |publisher=Dictionary.com ''Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).'' (© 2006). Random House |quote=Common Era – –noun Christian Era. |accessdate=9 September 2007}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/common%20era |title="common era" |publisher=Dictionary.com ''WordNet 3.0.'' (© 2006). Princeton University |quote=common era – 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] |accessdate=9 September 2007}}
</ref>
<!--
// END refs for meanings & alternate synonyms as Christian Era

-->
and '''Current Era''',<ref>
<!--
// BEGIN refs for meanings & alternate synonyms as Current Era

-->Sources supporting interchangeabilty with ''Current Era''<br />
*{{cite web |url=http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-the-western-islamic-and-jewish-calendars.htm |title=What is the Difference Between the Western, Islamic, and Jewish calendars? |year=2007 |author=[http://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-wisegeek.htm wiseGEEK] |accessdate=7 September 2007}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/history_2.shtml |url2=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/history_print.html |title=History of Judaism 63BCE-1086CE |quote=Year 1: CE – 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 |date=2005-02-08 |author=BBC Team |work=BBC Religion & Ethics |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=8 September 2007}}
</ref>
with all three expressions abbreviated as '''CE'''.<ref>Dictionaries: CE<br />
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/CE |title="CE" |publisher=Dictionary.com ''The American Heritage Science Dictionary.'' (© 2002). Houghton Mifflin |quote=CE – Abbreviation for Common Era. |accessdate=9 September 2007}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/CE |title=CE |encyclopedia=Merriam Webster Online Dictionary |year=2003 |publisher=Merriam-Webster |quote=Main Entry: CE – Function: abbreviation – 3 Christian Era —often punctuated; Common Era —often punctuated |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |title=C.E. |encyclopedia=Collins Dictionary of the English Language |year=1980 |publisher=Collins |location=London & Glasgow |id=ISBN 0 00 433080-3 |quote=C.E. 5. Common Era.}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/C.E. |title="C.E." |publisher=Dictionary.com ''American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition.'' (© 2005). Houghton Mifflin |quote=C.E. – 4. Common Era |accessdate=9 September 2007}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/C.E. |title="C.E." |publisher=Dictionary.com ''Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).'' (© 2006). Random House |quote=C.E. – 5. common era. |accessdate=9 September 2007}}
*[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ce "ce"]<!-- also accessdate=9 September 2007-->{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/c.e. |title="c.e." |publisher=Dictionary.com ''WordNet 3.0.'' (© 2006). Princeton University |quote=ce, c.e. – adverb – 1. of the period coinciding with the Christian era; preferred by some writers who are not Christians; 'in 200 CE' [syn: CE] |accessdate=9 September 2007}} – ''WP editorial note: the source does not mention any suffix like "[syn: CE]" for entry "ce" as shown for entry "c.e.".''
</ref><!--

// END CE refs

-->
(Christian Era is, however, also abbreviated AD, for ''Anno Domini''.<ref>''Oxford Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus.'' (American edition) (1997). New York: Oxford University Press. s.v. A.D.
</ref>)
Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of '''BCE''', short for "'''Before the Common Era'''", "'''Before the Christian Era'''", or "'''Before the Current Era'''".<!--

// BEGIN BCE refs...

--><ref>Dictionaries: BCE<br />
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/BCE |title="BCE" |publisher=Dictionary.com ''The American Heritage Science Dictionary.'' (© 2002). Houghton Mifflin |quote=BCE – Abbreviation for before the Common Era. |accessdate=11 September 2007}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BCE |title=BCE |encyclopedia=Merriam Webster Online Dictionary |year=2003 |publisher=Merriam-Webster |quote=Main Entry: BCE – Function: abbreviation – 3 before the Christian Era —often punctuated; before the Common Era —often punctuated |accessdate=9 September 2007}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |title=B.C.E. |encyclopedia=Collins Dictionary of the English Language |year=1980 |publisher=Collins |location=London & Glasgow |id=ISBN 0 00 433080-3 |quote=B.C.E. ''abbrev. for'' Before Common Era (used, esp. by non-Christians, in numbering years B.C.)}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/B.C.E. |title="B.C.E." |publisher=Dictionary.com ''American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition.'' (© 2005). Houghton Mifflin |quote=B.C.E. – Before the Common Era |accessdate=11 September 2007}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/B.C.E. |title="B.C.E." |publisher=Dictionary.com ''The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition.'' (2005). Houghton Mifflin |quote=B.C.E. – An abbreviation sometimes used in place of b.c. It means 'before the Common Era.' – [Chapter:] ''Conventions of Written English'' |accessdate=11 September 2007}}
*{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/B.C.E. |title="B.C.E." |publisher=Dictionary.com ''Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).'' (© 2006). Random House |quote=B.C.E. – 4. before (the) Common (or Christian) Era. |accessdate=11 September 2007}}
*[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bce "bce"]<!-- also accessdate=11 September 2007-->{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/b.c.e. |title="b.c.e." |publisher=Dictionary.com ''WordNet 3.0.'' (© 2006). Princeton University |quote=bce, b.c.e. – adverb – of the period before the Common Era; preferred by some writers who are not Christians; "in 200 BCE" [syn: BCE] |accessdate=11 September 2007}} – ''WP editorial note: the source does not mention any suffix like "[syn: BCE]" for entry "bce" as shown for entry "b.c.e.".''
</ref><!--

// END BCE refs

--->
Both the BCE/CE and BC/AD notations are based on a sixth-century estimate for the year in which [[Jesus]] was conceived or born, with the ''common era'' designation originating among Christians in Europe at least as early as 1615 (at first in [[Latin]]).<ref name=VulgarisAerae1 />
<!-- Please maintain the Common/Current/Christian Era names & "Before..." + their abbreviations CE & BCE within the FIRST paragraph (the only one shown by preview for readers having such enabled by their user javascript page) -->

The [[Gregorian calendar]], and the year-numbering system associated with it, is the calendar system with most widespread usage in the world today. For decades, it has been the ''de facto'' global standard, recognized by international institutions such as the [[United Nations]] and the [[Universal Postal Union]].
There are many names in many languages used to designate this year-numbering system that originated in Western Europe.
Common Era notation has been adopted in several non-Christian cultures, by many scholars in religious studies and other academic fields,<ref name=Irvin>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=C2akvQfa-QMC&pg=PR11&dq=before+%22common+era%22+christian&lr=&sig=J5x3M_bx6EXYYxL57m08w5OYzWk |title=History of the World Christian Movement |accessdate=11 January 2008
}} {{cite book
|title=History of the World Christian Movement |first=Dale T. |last=Irvin |coauthors=Sunquist, Scott |year=2001 |publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group |isbn=0567088669 |page=xi
|quote=The influence of western culture and scholarship upon the rest of the world in turn led to this system of dating becoming the most widely used one across the globe today. Many scholars in historical and religious studies in the West in recent years have sought to lessen the explicitly Christian meaning of this system without abandoning the usefulness of a single, common, global form of dating. For this reason the terms ''common era'' and ''before the common era'', abbreviated as CE and BCE, have grown in popularity as designations. The terms are meant, in deference to non-Christians, to soften the explicit theological claims made by the older Latin terminology, while at the same time providing continuity with earlier generations of mostly western Christian historical research.
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=-VLt0uQrzXMC&pg=PA18&dq=before+common+era+christian+non-christian&lr=&sig=rl3B9VZmkG8RtbP6WZifd9iCJ2A |title=Get Set for Religious Studies
|accessdate=11 January 2008
}} {{cite book
|title=Get Set for Religious Studies |first=Dominic |last=Corrywright |coauthors=Morgan, Peggy |year=2006 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=074862032X |page=18
|quote=Also note where AD (from the Latin 'in the year of our Lord') and BC (before Christ) are used in datings, for although the numerical calculation of this system is now the international convention, the terminology used in religious studies is CE (common era) and BCE (before the common era), which are more neutrally descriptive terms
}}
</ref>
and by others wishing to be sensitive to non-Christians,<ref name="cst">
{{cite news |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071012132841/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060527/ai_n16436633 |archivedate=2008-10-03 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060527/ai_n16436633 |title=BCE date designation called more sensitive |author=Andrew Herrmann |publisher=Chicago Sun-Times |date=2006-05-27 |accessdate=15 June 2007 |quote=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}}.
</ref>
because ''Common Era'' does not explicitly make use of religious titles for Jesus, such as ''Christ'' and ''Lord'', which are used in the BC/AD notation.<ref name=Irvin /><ref>''Anno Domini'' (which means ''in the year of the/our Lord''){{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/Anno%20Domini |title=Anno Domini |encyclopedia=Merriam Webster Online Dictionary |year=2003 |publisher=Merriam-Webster |quote=Etymology: Medieval Latin, in the year of the Lord |accessdate=4 February 2008}} Translated as "in the year of (Our) Lord" in Blackburn, B & Holford-Strevens, L, (2003), ''The Oxford Companion to the Year'', Oxford University Press, 782.
</ref><ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/ce_info1.htm#wce |title=Historical background of the use of "CE" and "BCE" to identify dates |publisher=Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance |quote=According to David Barrett et al., editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones. The vast majority do not recognize Yeshua of Nazareth as either God or Messiah. Expecting followers of other religions to imply this status for Yeshua can create ill feeling.}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/heustis/070909
|title=Common Era and the culture war
|first=Reer R, Jr. |last=Heustis |date=9 September 2007
|publisher=RenewAmerica
|quote=referred to as ''Year of our Lord'', which is an unmistakable reference to the Lord Jesus Christ....Not every person believes that Jesus is the Lord, they argue, and therefore, he should not have to acknowledge Christ's ''Lordship''...Make no mistake about it: Jesus Christ is not only the Lord of Christians — He is also the Lord of all.}}
</ref>

==Origins==
{{See also|Anno Domini}}

The year numbering system used with Common Era notation was devised by the monk [[Dionysius Exiguus]] in the year 525 to replace the [[Diocletian]] years, because he did not wish to continue the memory of a tyrant who persecuted Christians.<ref name=Pedersen/> He attempted to number years from an event he referred to as the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|Incarnation]] of [[Jesus]],<ref name=Pedersen>Pedersen, O., (1983), "The Ecclesiastical Calendar and the Life of the Church" in Coyne, G.V. et al. (Eds.) [http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/book/grc../1983//0000001,001.html ''The Gregorian Reform of the Calendar''], Vatican Observatory, p. 50.
</ref>
although scholars today generally agree that he miscalculated by a small number of years.<ref>Doggett, L.E., (1992), [http://charon.nmsu.edu/~lhuber/leaphist.html "Calendars"] in Seidelmann, P.K., ''The Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac'', Sausalito CA: University Science Books, p. 579.
</ref><ref>
{{cite book |url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=BW_1mt4oebQC&pg=PA686&dq=jesus+birth+year+before |title=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia |first=Geoffrey W. |last=Bromiley |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |year=1995 |isbn=0802837816 |isbn2=9780802837813 |accessdate= 25 December 2008}}
</ref>
Dionysius labeled the column of the Easter table in which he introduced the new era "''Anni Domini Nostri Jesu Christi''"<ref>Pedersen, O., (1983), "The Ecclesiastical Calendar and the Life of the Church" in Coyne, G.V. et al. (Eds.) [http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/book/grc../1983//0000052.000.html ''The Gregorian Reform of the Calendar''], Vatican Observatory, p. 52.
</ref>
Numbering years in this manner became more widespread with its usage by [[Bede]] in England in 731. Bede also introduced the practice of dating years before the supposed year of birth<ref>Bede wrote of the Incarnation of Jesus, but treated it as synonymous with birth. Blackburn, B & Holford-Strevens, L, (2003), ''The Oxford Companion to the Year'', Oxford University Press, 778.
</ref>
of Jesus, and the practice of not using a year [[zero]].<ref>As noted in [[Zero#History of zero]], the use of zero in Western civilization was uncommon before the 12th century.
</ref>
In 1422, [[Portugal]] became the last [[Western Europe]]an country to [[Spanish era|switch to]] the system begun by Dionysius.<ref name=CathEncy-Chron>{{cite book |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03738a.htm |chapter=General Chronology |title=New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia |year=1908 |volume=Vol III |publisher=Robert Appleton Company, New York |accessdate=12 December 2007}}
</ref>

The term "Common Era" is traced back in English to its appearance as "Vulgar<ref>It is relatively recently the word ''vulgar'' has come to mean "crudely indecent"
</ref>
Era" (from the Latin word ''vulgus'', the common people, i.e. those who are not royalty), to distinguish it from the [[Regnal year|regnal dating]] systems typically used in national law. The first use of the Latin equivalent (''vulgaris aerae'')<ref name=VulgarisAerae0>In Latin, ''Common Era'' is written as ''Vulgaris Aerae''. It also occasionally appears as ''æræ vulgaris'', ''aerae vulgaris'', ''aeram vulgarem'', ''anni vulgaris'', ''vulgaris aerae Christianae'', and ''anni vulgatae nostrae aerae Christianas''.
</ref>
discovered so far was in a 1615 book by [[Johannes Kepler]].<ref name=VulgarisAerae1>
{{cite web
|url=http://worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/62188677
|title=Earliest-found use of "vulgaris aerae" (Latin for Common Era) (1615)
|accessdate=12 January 2008
}} {{cite book
|quote=anno aerae nostrae vulgaris
|author=[[Johannes Kepler]]
|title=Joannis Keppleri Eclogae chronicae: ex epistolis doctissimorum aliquot virorum & suis mutuis, quibus examinantur tempora nobilissima: 1. Herodis Herodiadumque, 2. baptismi & ministerii Christi annorum non plus 2 1/4, 3. passionis, mortis et resurrectionis Dn. N. Iesu Christi, anno aerae nostrae vulgaris 31. non, ut vulgo 33., 4. belli Iudaici, quo funerata fuit cum Ierosolymis & Templo Synagoga Iudaica, sublatumque Vetus Testamentum. Inter alia & commentarius in locum Epiphanii obscurissimum de cyclo veteri Iudaeorum.
|publisher=Francofurti : Tampach
|language=Latin
|year=1615
}}
</ref>
Kepler uses it again in a 1617 table of [[Ephemeris|ephemerides]].<ref name=VulgarisAerae2>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=nBQGGgAACAAJ&rview=1
|title=Second use of "vulgaris aerae" (Latin for Common Era) (1617)
|accessdate=12 January 2008
}} {{cite book
|title=Ephemerides novae motuum coelestium, ab anno vulgaris aerae MDCXVII[-XXXVI]...
|quote=Part 3 has title: Tomi L Ephemeridvm Ioannis Kepleri pars tertia, complexa annos à M.DC.XXIX. in M.DC.XXXVI. In quibus & tabb. Rudolphi jam perfectis, et sociâ operâ clariss. viri dn. Iacobi Bartschii ... Impressa Sagani Silesiorvm, in typographeio Ducali, svmptibvs avthoris, anno M.DC.XXX.
|author=[[Johannes Kepler]], Jakob Bartsch
|publisher=Johannes Plancus
|year=1617
}}
*Translation of title (per 1635 English edition): ''New Ephemerids for the Celestiall Motions, for the Yeeres of the Vulgar Era 1617–1636''
</ref>
A 1635 English edition of that book has the title page in English - so far, the earliest-found usage of ''Vulgar Era'' in English.<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TIl2GwAACAAJ&dq=%22vulgar+era%22
|title=Earliest so-far-found use of ''vulgar era'' in English (1635)
|accessdate=18 December 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=Ephemerides of the Celestiall Motions, for the Yeers of the Vulgar Era 1633...
|author=Johann Kepler, Adriaan Vlacq
|published=1635
}}
</ref>
<!---
*A much later instance in Latin is in a 1762 book by [[Giovanni Lorenzo Berti |Joanne Laurentio Berti]], entitled ''Ecclesiasticae historiae breviarium. Editio, post secundam venetam. Pars prima quae compectitur Chronologiae Rudimenta. Pars secunda quae progreditur usque ad unnum Vulgaris Aera''; See book title at http://www.antiqbook.de/boox/haker/207860.shtml - see Catholic Encyclopedia article on its author at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02522a.htm
--->
A 1701 book edited by John LeClerc includes "Before Christ according to the Vulgar Æra, 6".<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=jakGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA5-IA4&dq=%22vulgar+era%22
|title=''vulgar era'' in English (1701)
|accessdate=14 December 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=The Harmony of the Evangelists
|editor=John LeClerc
|authorlink=[[John LeClerc]]
|location=London
|publisher=Sam Buckley
|digitized=21 February 2007
|page=5
|year=1701
|quote=Before Christ according to the Vulgar AEra, 6
}}
</ref>
A 1716 book in English by Dean [[Humphrey Prideaux]] says, "before the beginning of the vulgar æra, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation."<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=1DQHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA5&vq=vulgar&dq
|title=Prideaux use of "Vulgar Era" (1716)
|date=1799 reprint
|quote2=reckoning it backward from the vulgar era of Christ's incarnation
|accessdate=14 December 2007
|digitized=26 March 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=The Old and New Testament Connected in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations
|author=Humphrey Prideaux, D.D.
|authorlink=Humphrey Prideaux
|publisher=D. Schaw & Co.
|location=Edinburgh
|original=from Oxford University Press
|quote=This happened in the seventh year after the building of Rome, and in the second year of the eighth Olympiad, which was the seven hundred forty-seventh year before Christ, i. e. before the beginning of the vulgar æra, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation.
|page=1
|volume=1
|year=1716
|reprint=1799 (1716 edition not online, 1749 online is Vol 2)
}}
</ref><ref>
Merriam Webster accepts the date of 1716, but does not give the source. {{cite web |url=http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/vulgarera |title=Merriam Webster Online entry for ''Vulgar Era'' |accessdate=12 December 2007}}
</ref>
A 1796 book uses the term "vulgar era of the nativity".<ref>{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=nK6IPj-Wk-kC&pg=PA10&dq=%22vulgar+era+of+the+NATIVITY%22
|title="vulgar era of the nativity" (1796)
|original=from the University of Michigan
|digitized=13 March 2006
|accessdate=18 December 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=Analysis of Researches Into the Origin and Progress of Historical Time, from the Creation to ...
|author=Rev. Robert Walker, Isaac Newton, Thomas Falconer
|published=1796
|publisher=T. Cadell Jr. and W. Davies
|page=10
|location=London
|quote=Dionysius the Little brought the vulgar era of the nativity too low by four years.
}}
</ref>

The first so-far-discovered usage of "Christian Era" is as the Latin phrase ''aerae christianae'' on the title page of a 1584 theology book.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/123471534
|title=1584 Latin use of ''aerae christianae''
|accessdate=13 January 2008
}} {{cite book
|title=De Eucharistica controuersia, capita doctrinae theologicae de quibus mandatu, illustrissimi principis ac domini, D. Iohannis Casimiri, Comites Palatini ad Rhenum, Ducis Bauariae, tutoris & administratoris Electoralis Palatinatus, octonis publicis disputationibus (quarum prima est habita 4 Apr. anno aerae christianae 1584, Marco Beumlero respondente) praeses Iohannes Iacobus Grynaeus, orthodoxae fidei rationem interrogantibus placidè reddidit ; accessit eiusdem Iohannis Iacobi Grynaeus synopsis orationis, quam de disputationis euentu, congressione nona, quae indicit in 15 Aprilis, publicè habuit.
|first=Johann Jacob
|last=Grynaeus
|authorlink=Johann Jakob Grynaeus
|coauthors=Beumler, Marcus
|type=Microform
|language=Latin
|location=Heidelbergae
|publisher=Typis Iacobi Mylij
|year=1584
|edition=Editio tertia
|topic=Irenical theology
|oclc=123471534
|quote=4 Apr. anno aerae christianae 1584
}}
</ref>
In 1649, the Latin phrase ''æræ Christianæ'' appeared in the title of an English almanac.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/18533017
|title=1649 use of ''æræ Christianæ'' in English book - 1st usage found in English
|accessdate=13 January 2008
}} {{cite book
|title=Speculum uranicum, anni æræ Christianæ, 1649, or, An almanack and prognosication for the year of our Lord, 1649 being the first from bissextile or leap-year, and from the creation of the world 5598, wherein is contained many useful, pleasant and necessary observations, and predictions ... : calculated (according to art) for the meridian and latitude of the ancient borrough town of Stamford in Lincolnshire ... and without sensible errour may serve the 3. kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
|last=WING
|first=Vincent
|year=1649
|location=London
|publisher=J.L. for the Company of Stationers
|quote=anni æræ Christianæ, 1649
}}
</ref>
A 1652 ephemeris is the first instance so-far-found for English usage of "Christian Era".<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=qDaKGAAACAAJ&dq=%22christian+era%22
|title=first appearance of "Christian Era" in English (1652)
|accessdate=19 December 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=A celestiall glasse, or, Ephemeris for the year of the Christian era 1652 being the bissextile or leap-year: contayning the lunations, planetary motions, configurations & ecclipses for this present year ... : with many other things very delightfull and necessary for most sorts of men: calculated exactly and composed for ... Rochester
|author=Sliter, Robert
|year=1652
|publisher=Printed for the Company of Stationers
|location=London
}}
</ref>

The English phrase "common Era" appears at least as early as 1708,<ref>
{{cite book |title=first so-far-found use of ''common era'' in English (1708) |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=D_wvAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA515&dq=%22common+era%22&lr=lang_en&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=800&as_maxm_is=1&as_maxy_is=1740&as_brr=0&cd=2#v=onepage&q=%22common%20era%22&f=false |accessdate=2010-01-18}}
{{cite book |title=The History of the Works of the Learned |volume=10 |page=513 |location=London |year=1708 |month=January}}
</ref>
and in a 1715 book on astronomy is used interchangeably with "Christian Era" and "Vulgar Era".<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ze8ehe65hwcC&pg=RA2-PA252&dq=%22Common+Era%22+%22before+chrift%22++chriftian+common+era
|accessdate=5 January 2008
|first=David
|last=Gregory
|title=The Elements of Astronomy, Physical and Geometrical
|coauthors=John Nicholson, John Morphew
|year=1715
|quote=Some say the World was created 3950 Years before the common Æra of Christ
|page=252
|publisher=printed for J. Nicholson, and sold by J. Morphew
|location=London
|genre=Astronomy
|volume=v. 1
|unused_data=|library copy=University of Michigan|digitized 2006-04-13
}} ''Before Christ'' and ''Christian Era'' appear on the same page 252, while ''Vulgar Era'' appears on [http://books.google.com/books?id=ze8ehe65hwcC&pg=RA2-PA250&dq=%22Vulgar%22 page 250]
</ref>
A 1759 history book uses ''common æra'' in a generic sense, to refer to the common era of the Jews.<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=tn0EAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA130&dq=%22Common+aEra%22+%22chrift%22
|title=1759 use of common æra
|accessdate=12 January 2008}}
{{cite book
|title=An Universal History: From the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time By George Sale,
|first=George
|last=Sale
|coauthros=Psalmanazar, George; Bower, Archibald; Shelvocke, George; Campbell, John; Swinton, John
|year=1759
|quote=at which time they fixed that for their common era
|publisher=C. Bathurst [etc.]
|location=London
|volume=13
|pages=130
}}
In this case, ''their'' refers to the Jews.
</ref>
''Common era'' and ''vulgar era'' are used as synonyms in 1770, in a translation of a book originally written in German.<ref>{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gBETAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=%22Common+Era%22+%22vulgar+Era%22+date:1-1800
|title=''common era'' and ''vulgar era'' as synonyms in English (1770)
|accessdate=5 January 2008
}} {{cite book
|last=Hooper
|first=William
|coauthors=Bielfeld, Jacob Friedrich
|title=The Elements of Universal Eurdition (v. 2)
|year=1770
|publisher=G. Scott, printer, for J Robson, bookseller in New-Bond Street, and B. Law in Ave-Mary Lane
|location=London
|pages=105, 63
|quote=in the year of the world 3692, and 312 years before the vulgar era.... The Spanish era began with the year of the world 3966, and 38 years before the common era (p63)
}}
</ref>
The 1797 edition of the [[Encyclopædia Britannica]] uses the terms ''vulgar era'' and ''common era'' synonymously.<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=W3xMAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA228&dq=%22vulgar+era%22
|title="vulgar era" in 1797 EB
|quote=St Peter died in the 66th year of the vulgar era
|at=p.&nbsp;228 v.&nbsp;14 pt.&nbsp;1 P (Peter)
|year=1797
|accessdate=14 December 2007
}} <br/> {{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=W3xMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA50&dq=%22common+era%22
|title="common era" in 1797 EB
|at=p.&nbsp;50 v.&nbsp;14 pt.&nbsp;1 P (Paul)
|quote=This happened in the 33rd year of the common era, fome time after our Saviour's death.
|year=1797
|accessdate=14 December 2007
}} <br/>
{{cite encyclopedia
|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica: Or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature (Third Edition in 18 volumes)
|year=1797
|at=v.&nbsp;14 pt.&nbsp;1 P
|editor=George Gleig
|location=Edinburgh
|digitized=9 December 2007
}}
</ref>
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",<ref>
{{cite book |url=http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/acampbell/tlo4/TLO400L4.HTM |title=The Living Oracles, Fourth Edition |year=1835 |author=[[Alexander Campbell (Restoration movement)|Alexander Campbell]] |pages=16–20 |accessdate=12 December 2007}}
</ref>
and 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..."<ref>
{{cite book |url=http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/acampbell/tlo4/TLO400L3.HTM |title=The Living Oracles, Fourth Edition |year=1835 |author=[[Alexander Campbell (Restoration movement)|Alexander Campbell]] |pages=15–16 |accessdate=12 December 2007}}
</ref>
The ''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."<ref name="CathEncy-Chron"/>
During the 19th century, "Vulgar Era" came to be contrasted with "Christian Era", and "vulgar" came to mean "crudely indecent", thus no longer a synonym for "common".

The phrase "common era", in [[lower case]], also appeared in the 19th century 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",<ref>
{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?as_brr=1&id=GMfyJ2PeD-cC&q=%22common+era+of+the+jews%22&pgis=1 |title="common era of the Jews" (1874) |quote=the common era of the Jews places the creation in BC 3760 |accessdate=12 December 2007}}
{{cite book |title=Conversations Lexicon |work=The Popular Encyclopedia |publisher=Oxford University Press |editor=A. Whitelaw |year=1874 |page=207 |volume=V}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=e6oCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA176&dq=%22common+era+of+the+jews%22 |title="common era of the Jews" (1858) |quote=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. |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
{{cite book |title=The first and second Advent: or, The past and the future with reference to the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God |author=Rev. Bourchier Wrey Savile, MA |year=1858 |page=176 |publisher=Wertheim, Macintosh and Hunt |location=London}}
</ref>
"the common era of the Mahometans",<ref>
{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=4WEBAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22common+era+of+the%22&q=%22common+era+of+the+Mahometans%22&pgis=1 |title="common era of the Mahometans" (1856) |quote=Its epoch is the first of March old style. The common era of the Mahometans, as has already been stated, is that of the flight of Mahomet. |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
{{cite book |year=1856 |title=Practical tables for the reduction of Mahometan dates to the Christian calendar |page=4 |author=Johannes von Gumpach |publisher=Oxford University}}
</ref>
"common era of the world",<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=bXIAAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA354&dq=%22common+era+of+the%22
|title="common era of the world" (1801)
|accessdate=14 December 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=The Theological, Philosophical and Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. William Jones
|author=William Jones
|year=1801
|location=London
|publisher=Rivington
}}
</ref>
"the common era of the foundation of Rome".<ref>
{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=6FKHIeUQ2J0C&pg=PA284&dq=%22common+era+of+the+foundation+of+rome%22 |title="common era of the foundation of Rome" (1854) |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
{{cite book |title=Universal History: From the Creation of the World to the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century |author=[[Alexander Fraser Tytler]], Lord Woodhouselee |publisher=Fetridge and Company |location=Boston |year=1854 |page=284}}
</ref>
When it did refer to the Christian Era, it was sometimes qualified, e.g., "common era of the Incarnation",<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=HKgMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA711&dq=%22common+era+of+the+incarnation%22
|title="common era of the Incarnation" (1833)
|accessdate=13 December 2007
}} {{cite book |title=The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature |location=New York |publisher=Henry G. Allen and Company |year=1833 |edition=9 |volume=V |page=711}}
</ref>
"common era of the Nativity",<ref>
{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=um44AAAAMAAJ&dq=%22common+era+of+the+Nativity%22&q=%22common+era%22+%22of+the+Nativity%22&pgis=1 |title="common era" "of the Nativity" (1864) |quote=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. |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
{{cite book |title=St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, A Memoir of his Life and Mission |author=[[James Henthorn Todd]] |year=1864 |pages=495, 496, 497 |publisher=Hodges, Smith & Co, Publishers to the University |location=Dublin}}
</ref>
or "common era of the birth of Christ".<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PGdCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PR16&dq=%22common+era+of+the%22
|title="common era of the birth of Christ" (1812)
|accessdate=14 December 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=Annotations on the Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles (2nd edition)
|author=Heneage Elsley
|year=1812
|edition=2nd
|publisher=A. J. Valpy for T. Payne
|location=London
|page=xvi
|nopp=true}}
</ref>

Some Jewish academics were already using the ''CE'' and ''BCE'' abbreviations by the mid-19th century, such as in 1856, when Rabbi and historian, [[Morris Jacob Raphall]] used the abbreviation in his book, [http://books.google.com/books?id=r7CbDH5hTe8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=CE+BCE ''Post-Biblical History of The Jews''].<ref>The term ''common era'' does not appear in this book; the term ''Christian era'' [lowercase] does appear a number of times. Nowhere in the book is the abbreviation explained or expanded directly. {{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=r7CbDH5hTe8C&pg=PA75&vq=era |title=Search for ''era'' in this book.}}
</ref>

===Era Vulgaris===
An adapted translation of ''Common Era'' into Latin as ''Era Vulgaris'' 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.<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.thelema101.com/calendar |title=What is Thelema? |accessdate=2010-01-18}}
</ref>

==Usage==
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 in the [[Western world]] to be in the Gregorian calendar, but for older dates writers should specify the calendar used. Dates in the Gregorian calendar in the Western world have always used the era designated in English as ''Anno Domini'' or ''Common Era'', but over the millennia a wide variety of eras have been used with the Julian calendar.

Although Jews have their own [[Hebrew calendar]], they often find it necessary 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]]," <!-- THIS IS NOT AN ERROR, DO NOT EDIT THIS QUOTE --> 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=2 September 2007}}
</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=30 August 2007 |page=A&ndash;13}} (Registration required.)
</ref>

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 states in its 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 |accessdate=29 August 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 |accessdate=9 September 2006 |format=PDF |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 |accessdate=9 September 2006 |author=Smithsonian Institution |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 &mdash; 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. |accessdate=9 September 2006}}<br>-
{{cite journal |url=http://equinoxjournals.com/ojs/equinoxdownloads/authors/pomguide.pdf |journal=The Pomegranate: the International Journal of Pagan Studies |title=Contributor Guidelines |quote=All dates should be in the format BCE/CE, unless in quoted material. |accessdate=3 October 2008 |format=pdf}} &ndash; <sup>[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=intitle%3AContributer+Guidelines&as_publication=The+Pomegranate%3A+The+International+Journal+of+Pagan+Studies&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search]</sup> <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. |accessdate=10 August 2007 }}<br>- {{cite journal |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 |accessdate=10 August 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. |accessdate=10 August 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 |accessdate=9 September 2006 |work=Maryland Church News |format=PDF |date=1 April 2005}}
</ref>

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 notation. 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 |accessdate=9 September 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.php |title=Introduction to Calendars |accessdate=9 September 2006 |publisher=U. S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department |date=15 October 2004}}
</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 |accessdate=9 September 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 |accessdate=9 September 2006 |publisher=History Channel}}
</ref>
In June 2006, the Kentucky State School Board reversed its decision that would have included the designations BCE and CE as part of state law, leaving education of students about these concepts a matter of discretion at the local level.<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 |accessdate=4 October 2006 |publisher=Family Foundation of Kentucky}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.kctcs.edu/todaysnews/index.cfm?tn_date=2006-06-16#5119 |title=School board keeps traditional historic designations |author=Joe Biesk |publisher=Louisville Courier-Journal |date=15 June 2006 |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web |url=http://cpe.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/5F08162C-899F-47FE-9367-1DDD82DE74E6/0/6_CommissionerofEdReport.pdf |title=Kentucky Board of Education Report |publisher=Kentucky Board of Education Report |date=10 June 2006 |accessdate=13 December 2007 |format=PDF}}
</ref>

Communist Eastern Germany used ''v. u. Z.'' (''vor unserer Zeitrechnung'', before our chronology) and ''u. Z.'' (''unserer Zeitrechnung'', of our chronology) instead of ''v. Chr.'' (''vor Christus'', before Christ) and ''n. Chr.'' (''nach Christus/Christi Geburt'', after Christ/the Nativity of Christ). The use of the terms still differs regionally and ideologically.
In [[Hungary]], similarly to the Bulgarian case, ''i. e.'' (''időszámításunk előtt'', before our era) and ''i. sz.'' (''időszámításunk szerint'', according to our era) are still widely used instead of traditional ''Kr. e.'' (''Krisztus előtt'', Before Christ) and ''Kr. u.'' (''Krisztus után'', After Christ), which were unofficially reinstituted after the Communist period.
In [[Poland]] generally the only used term is ''naszej ery/przed naszą erą'' (''of our era/before our era''). The terms ''przed Chrystusem/po Chrystusie'' (''before Christ/after Christ'') are possible but nearly never used in contemporary Poland.

In Asia, the Chinese use the term "[[Chinese era name#How the Era System worked|Common Era]] (公元)". The Japanese use ''seireki'' (西暦), which translates to "Western Calendar". The Koreans use the word ''Seogi'' (서기, 西紀), which means "Western Era" for AD/CE and ''Kiwonjeon'' (기원전, 紀元前) which is an abbreviation of ''Seoryok Kiwonjeon'' (서력기원전, 西曆紀元前) which means "Before the Origin of the Western Calendar".

===Rationale===

A range of arguments has been presented for the adoption of the Common Era notation. 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 |page=579}}
</ref>

It is argued that the use of BCE/CE shows sensitivity to those who use the same year numbering system as the one that originated with and is currently used by [[Christianity|Christian]]s, but who are not themselves Christian.<ref name=RelTolrnc>{{cite web |url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/ceintro.htm |title=Comments on the use of CE and BCE to identify dates in history |accessdate=11 July 2008 |publisher=ReligiousTolerance.com}}
</ref>
Former United Nations Secretary-General [[Kofi Annan]] argued, "[T]he Christian calendar no longer belongs exclusively to Christians. People of all faiths have taken to using it simply as a matter of convenience. There is so much interaction between people of different faiths and cultures - different civilizations, if you like - that some shared way of reckoning time is a necessity. And so the Christian Era has become the Common Era."<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.un.org/News/ossg/sg/stories/articleFull.asp?TID=37
|title=Common values for a common era: Even as we cherish our diversity, we need to discover our shared values
|author=Annan, Kofi A., (then Secretary-General of the United Nations)
|date=28 June 1999
|accessdate=21 December 2007
|publisher=Civilization: The Magazine of the Library of Congress }}
</ref>

===Grammar===
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).<ref name=Wilson>{{cite web |url=http://www.bartleby.com/68/20/120.html |title=The Columbia Guide to Standard American English – A.D., B.C., (A.)C.E., B.C.E. |year=1993 |author=Wilson, Kenneth G. |accessdate=16 June 2007}}
</ref>
Thus, the current year is written as {{CURRENTYEAR}} in both notations (or, if further clarity is needed, as {{CURRENTYEAR}} CE, or as AD {{CURRENTYEAR}}), and the year that [[Socrates]] died is represented as 399 BCE (the same year that is represented by 399 BC in the BC/AD notation). The abbreviations are sometimes written with small capital letters, or with [[full stops]] (e.g., "<span style="font-size:87%;">BCE</span>" or "C.E.").<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/about15_rules.html |title=Major Rule Changes in The Chicago Manual of Style, Fifteenth Edition |year=''15th ed.:'' 2003 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |quote=Certain abbreviations traditionally set in small caps are now in full caps (AD, BCE, and the like), with small caps an option. |accessdate=12 September 2007}}
</ref>

==Opposition==
<!-- PLEASE NOTE: While there are undoubtedly several better arguments than the ones that exist here, for entries to stay here they need to be properly sourced -->

Critics including astrobiologist Duncan Steel argue that if one is going to replace BC/AD with BCE/CE then one should reject all aspects of the dating system (including time of day, days of the week and months of the year) as they all have origins related to pagan, astrological, Jewish and Christian beliefs. Steel makes note of the consistency of the [[Quaker#Plain_speech|Quaker system]] (now rarely used), which removed all such references, and rejects religious arguments against BC/AD as selective.<ref name=RelTolrnc/><ref>{{Citation |title=Marking time: the epic quest to invent the perfect calendar |url=http://books.google.com.au/books?id=fsni_qV-FJoC&pg=PA111#v=onepage&q=&f=false |year=1999 |page=111 |last1=Steel |first1=Duncan |accessdate=26 August 2009}}
</ref>

Anthropologist [[Carol Delaney]] argues that the substitution of BC/AD to BCE/CE is merely a [[euphemism]] that conceals the political implications without modifying the actual source of contention.<ref>
{{cite book
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ETOrkt7DeN0C&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&dq=common+era+euphemism&source=web&ots=SD_-W5H1iK&sig=K_4v6oeAJ5htOwJPO4DoGGI883A
|title=Investigating Culture: An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology
|accessdate=19 September 2007
}} {{cite book
|title=Investigating Culture: An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology
|page=86
|year=2004
|author=Carol Lowery Delaney
|quote=I find CE a euphemism because the common era still begins with Christ's birth and,thus, conceals the political implications.
|publisher=Blackwell Publishing
|length=441 pages
|isbn=0631222375
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite book
|title=Abraham on Trial: The Social Legacy of Biblical Myth
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=x8woAhT3jKAC&pg=PA267&dq=%22common+era%22+euphemism&ei=P5ZoR6jmE46IswP4nq2-Ag&sig=xVrbcvShT2i2ytyzlSPxfZqtNcw
}}{{Cite book
|title=Abraham on Trial: The Social Legacy of Biblical Myth
|year=1998
|author=Carol Lowery Delaney
|page=267
|publisher=Princeton University Press
|length=352 pages
|isbn=0691070504 }}
</ref>
English language expert [[Kenneth G. Wilson (author)|Kenneth G. Wilson]] speculated in his style guide that "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 [that is, the method of numbering years] 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 |quote=Common era (C.E.) itself needs a good deal of further justification, in view of its clearly Christian numbering. Most conservatives still prefer A.D. and B.C. Best advice: don’t use B.C.E., C.E., or A.C.E. to replace B.C. and A.D. without translating the new terms for the very large number of readers who will not understand them. Note too that 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. |accessdate=13 December 2007}}
</ref> In fact, the very short lived [[French Revolutionary Calendar]] did just that, making year one the first year of the revolution, and rejecting the seven day week (with its connections to Genesis) for a ten day week.

[[Raimon Panikkar]] claims that using the designation BCE/CE is a "return... to the most bigoted Christian colonialism" and offensive to non-Christians who have not been sharing the era.<ref>Panikkar, Raimon. Christophany: The Fullness of Man (Maryville, NY: Orbis Books, 2004), 173.
</ref>

Some critics assert that 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, they claim, than identifiers with clearly different spelling.<ref name=RelTolrnc/>

===Christian opposition===
Because the BC/AD notation is based on the supposed year of the conception or birth of [[Jesus of Nazareth]], the removal of reference to him in era notation is perceived by some Christians as offensive.<ref>
{{cite news
|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20061202/ai_n16891064
|last=Whitney |first=Susan
|title=Altering history? Changes have some asking 'Before what?'
|publisher=The Deseret News
|date=2006-12-02
|accessdate=13 December 2007
|quote=I find this attempt to restructure history offensive," Lori Weintz wrote, in a letter to National Geographic publishers.... The forward to your book says B.C. and A.D. were removed so as to 'not impose the standards of one culture on others.'...&nbsp;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.}}
</ref>
Some groups oppose the Common Era notation for explicitly religious reasons; for example, the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] supports retaining the BC/AD abbreviations as "a reminder of the preeminence of Christ and His gospel in world history".<ref name=SBC /> The Southern Baptist Convention has criticized the use of BCE and CE as being the result of "secularization, anti-supernaturalism, religious pluralism, and political correctness" and encourages its members to "retain the traditional method of dating and avoid this revisionism".<ref name=SBC>{{cite web |url=http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/amResolution.asp?ID=298 |title=On Retaining The Traditional Method Of Calendar Dating (B.C./A.D.)|publisher=[[Southern Baptist Convention]]|date=June 2000 |quote=This practice [of BCE/CE] is the result of the secularization, anti-supernaturalism, religious pluralism, and political correctness pervasive in our society... retention [of BC/AD] is a reminder to those in this secular age of the importance of Christ’s life and mission and emphasizes to all that history is ultimately His Story.}}
</ref>

===Reaction===
According to a ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' report, it was a student's use of BCE/CE notation, inspired by its use within [[Wikipedia]], which prompted the history teacher [[Andrew Schlafly]] to found [[Conservapedia]], a [[cultural conservative]] [[wiki]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Simon |first=Stephanie |title=A conservative's answer to Wikipedia |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/19/nation/na-schlafly19 |date=22 June 2007 |work=Los Angeles Times}}
</ref>
One of its "Conservapedia Commandments" is that users must always apply BC/AD notation, since its sponsors perceive BCE/CE notation to "deny the historical basis" of the dating system.<ref>[http://www.conservapedia.com/Conservapedia:Commandments Conservapedia Commandments] at Conservapedia
</ref>

==See also==
*[[Calendar reform]]
*[[Before present]]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist |2|}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ucc.org/ucnews/janfeb03/whatever-happened-to-bc-and.html Whatever happened to B.C. and A.D., and why?] (United Church of Christ)
* Robert R. Cargill, ''[http://www.bibleinterp.com/opeds/why_3530.shtml Why Christians Should Adopt the BCE/CE Dating System]'' {{en}}

{{Time Topics}}
{{Chronology}}

[[Category:Calendar eras]]
[[Category:Chronology]]

[[ar:قبل الميلاد]]
[[be-x-old:Наша эра]]
[[ca:Era comuna]]
[[cs:Náš letopočet]]
[[de:V. u. Z.]]
[[el:Κοινή Χρονολογία (Χρονολόγηση)]]
[[es:Era Común]]
[[eo:Komuna Erao]]
[[fr:Ère commune]]
[[it:Era volgare]]
[[la:Aera Vulgaris]]
[[nl:Gangbare jaartelling]]
[[no:Common Era]]
[[pt:Era comum]]
[[ru:Наша эра]]
[[sv:Före vår tideräkning]]
[[tr:Milat]]
[[uk:Наша ера]]

Revision as of 16:17, 3 April 2010

Common Era, abbreviated as CE, is a designation for the world's most commonly used year-numbering system.[1][2] The numbering of years using Common Era notation is identical to the numbering used with Anno Domini (BC/AD) notation, 2024 being the current year in both notations and neither using a year zero.[3] Common Era is also known as Christian Era[4] and Current Era,[5] with all three expressions abbreviated as CE.[6] (Christian Era is, however, also abbreviated AD, for Anno Domini.[7]) Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for "Before the Common Era", "Before the Christian Era", or "Before the Current Era".[8] Both the BCE/CE and BC/AD notations are based on a sixth-century estimate for the year in which Jesus was conceived or born, with the common era designation originating among Christians in Europe at least as early as 1615 (at first in Latin).[9]

The Gregorian calendar, and the year-numbering system associated with it, is the calendar system with most widespread usage in the world today. For decades, it has been the de facto global standard, recognized by international institutions such as the United Nations and the Universal Postal Union. There are many names in many languages used to designate this year-numbering system that originated in Western Europe. Common Era notation has been adopted in several non-Christian cultures, by many scholars in religious studies and other academic fields,[10][11] and by others wishing to be sensitive to non-Christians,[12] because Common Era does not explicitly make use of religious titles for Jesus, such as Christ and Lord, which are used in the BC/AD notation.[10][13][14][15]

Origins

The year numbering system used with Common Era notation was devised by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the year 525 to replace the Diocletian years, because he did not wish to continue the memory of a tyrant who persecuted Christians.[16] He attempted to number years from an event he referred to as the Incarnation of Jesus,[16] although scholars today generally agree that he miscalculated by a small number of years.[17][18] Dionysius labeled the column of the Easter table in which he introduced the new era "Anni Domini Nostri Jesu Christi"[19] Numbering years in this manner became more widespread with its usage by Bede in England in 731. Bede also introduced the practice of dating years before the supposed year of birth[20] of Jesus, and the practice of not using a year zero.[21] In 1422, Portugal became the last Western European country to switch to the system begun by Dionysius.[22]

The term "Common Era" is traced back in English to its appearance as "Vulgar[23] Era" (from the Latin word vulgus, the common people, i.e. those who are not royalty), to distinguish it from the regnal dating systems typically used in national law. The first use of the Latin equivalent (vulgaris aerae)[24] discovered so far was in a 1615 book by Johannes Kepler.[9] Kepler uses it again in a 1617 table of ephemerides.[25] A 1635 English edition of that book has the title page in English - so far, the earliest-found usage of Vulgar Era in English.[26] A 1701 book edited by John LeClerc includes "Before Christ according to the Vulgar Æra, 6".[27] A 1716 book in English by Dean Humphrey Prideaux says, "before the beginning of the vulgar æra, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation."[28][29] A 1796 book uses the term "vulgar era of the nativity".[30]

The first so-far-discovered usage of "Christian Era" is as the Latin phrase aerae christianae on the title page of a 1584 theology book.[31] In 1649, the Latin phrase æræ Christianæ appeared in the title of an English almanac.[32] A 1652 ephemeris is the first instance so-far-found for English usage of "Christian Era".[33]

The English phrase "common Era" appears at least as early as 1708,[34] and in a 1715 book on astronomy is used interchangeably with "Christian Era" and "Vulgar Era".[35] A 1759 history book uses common æra in a generic sense, to refer to the common era of the Jews.[36] Common era and vulgar era are used as synonyms in 1770, in a translation of a book originally written in German.[37] The 1797 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica uses the terms vulgar era and common era synonymously.[38] In 1835, in his book Living Oracles, Alexander Campbell, wrote: "The vulgar Era, or Anno Domini; the fourth year of Jesus Christ, the first of which was but eight days",[39] and 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..."[40] The 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."[22] During the 19th century, "Vulgar Era" came to be contrasted with "Christian Era", and "vulgar" came to mean "crudely indecent", thus no longer a synonym for "common".

The phrase "common era", in lower case, also appeared in the 19th century 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",[41][42] "the common era of the Mahometans",[43] "common era of the world",[44] "the common era of the foundation of Rome".[45] When it did refer to the Christian Era, it was sometimes qualified, e.g., "common era of the Incarnation",[46] "common era of the Nativity",[47] or "common era of the birth of Christ".[48]

Some Jewish academics were already using the CE and BCE abbreviations by the mid-19th century, such as in 1856, when Rabbi and historian, Morris Jacob Raphall used the abbreviation in his book, Post-Biblical History of The Jews.[49]

Era Vulgaris

An adapted translation of Common Era into Latin as Era Vulgaris 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.[50]

Usage

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 in the Western world to be in the Gregorian calendar, but for older dates writers should specify the calendar used. Dates in the Gregorian calendar in the Western world have always used the era designated in English as Anno Domini or Common Era, but over the millennia a wide variety of eras have been used with the Julian calendar.

Although Jews have their own Hebrew calendar, they often find it necessary to use the Gregorian Calendar as well. The reasons for some using Common Era notation are described below:

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).[51]

Indeed, Common Era notation has also been in use for Hebrew lessons for "more than a century".[52]

Some American academics in the fields of education and history have adopted CE and BCE notation, although there is some disagreement.[53] 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.[54] 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.[55] Furthermore, several style guides now prefer or mandate its usage.[56] Even some style guides for Christian churches prefer its use: for example, the Episcopal Diocese Maryland Church News.[57]

In the United States, the usage of the BCE/CE notation in textbooks is growing.[52] 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 notation. It is used by the College Board in its history tests,[58] by the Norton Anthology of English Literature, and by the United States Naval Observatory.[59] Others have taken a different approach. The US-based History Channel uses BCE/CE notation in articles on non-Christian religious topics such as Jerusalem and Judaism.[60] In June 2006, the Kentucky State School Board reversed its decision that would have included the designations BCE and CE as part of state law, leaving education of students about these concepts a matter of discretion at the local level.[61][62][63]

Communist Eastern Germany used v. u. Z. (vor unserer Zeitrechnung, before our chronology) and u. Z. (unserer Zeitrechnung, of our chronology) instead of v. Chr. (vor Christus, before Christ) and n. Chr. (nach Christus/Christi Geburt, after Christ/the Nativity of Christ). The use of the terms still differs regionally and ideologically. In Hungary, similarly to the Bulgarian case, i. e. (időszámításunk előtt, before our era) and i. sz. (időszámításunk szerint, according to our era) are still widely used instead of traditional Kr. e. (Krisztus előtt, Before Christ) and Kr. u. (Krisztus után, After Christ), which were unofficially reinstituted after the Communist period. In Poland generally the only used term is naszej ery/przed naszą erą (of our era/before our era). The terms przed Chrystusem/po Chrystusie (before Christ/after Christ) are possible but nearly never used in contemporary Poland.

In Asia, the Chinese use the term "Common Era (公元)". The Japanese use seireki (西暦), which translates to "Western Calendar". The Koreans use the word Seogi (서기, 西紀), which means "Western Era" for AD/CE and Kiwonjeon (기원전, 紀元前) which is an abbreviation of Seoryok Kiwonjeon (서력기원전, 西曆紀元前) which means "Before the Origin of the Western Calendar".

Rationale

A range of arguments has been presented for the adoption of the Common Era notation. 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."[64]

It is argued that the use of BCE/CE shows sensitivity to those who use the same year numbering system as the one that originated with and is currently used by Christians, but who are not themselves Christian.[65] Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan argued, "[T]he Christian calendar no longer belongs exclusively to Christians. People of all faiths have taken to using it simply as a matter of convenience. There is so much interaction between people of different faiths and cultures - different civilizations, if you like - that some shared way of reckoning time is a necessity. And so the Christian Era has become the Common Era."[66]

Grammar

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).[67] Thus, the current year is written as 2024 in both notations (or, if further clarity is needed, as 2024 CE, or as AD 2024), and the year that Socrates died is represented as 399 BCE (the same year that is represented by 399 BC in the BC/AD notation). The abbreviations are sometimes written with small capital letters, or with full stops (e.g., "BCE" or "C.E.").[68]

Opposition

Critics including astrobiologist Duncan Steel argue that if one is going to replace BC/AD with BCE/CE then one should reject all aspects of the dating system (including time of day, days of the week and months of the year) as they all have origins related to pagan, astrological, Jewish and Christian beliefs. Steel makes note of the consistency of the Quaker system (now rarely used), which removed all such references, and rejects religious arguments against BC/AD as selective.[65][69]

Anthropologist Carol Delaney argues that the substitution of BC/AD to BCE/CE is merely a euphemism that conceals the political implications without modifying the actual source of contention.[70][71] English language expert Kenneth G. Wilson speculated in his style guide that "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 [that is, the method of numbering years] itself, given its Christian basis."[72] In fact, the very short lived French Revolutionary Calendar did just that, making year one the first year of the revolution, and rejecting the seven day week (with its connections to Genesis) for a ten day week.

Raimon Panikkar claims that using the designation BCE/CE is a "return... to the most bigoted Christian colonialism" and offensive to non-Christians who have not been sharing the era.[73]

Some critics assert that 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, they claim, than identifiers with clearly different spelling.[65]

Christian opposition

Because the BC/AD notation is based on the supposed year of the conception or birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the removal of reference to him in era notation is perceived by some Christians as offensive.[74] Some groups oppose the Common Era notation for explicitly religious reasons; for example, the Southern Baptist Convention supports retaining the BC/AD abbreviations as "a reminder of the preeminence of Christ and His gospel in world history".[75] The Southern Baptist Convention has criticized the use of BCE and CE as being the result of "secularization, anti-supernaturalism, religious pluralism, and political correctness" and encourages its members to "retain the traditional method of dating and avoid this revisionism".[75]

Reaction

According to a Los Angeles Times report, it was a student's use of BCE/CE notation, inspired by its use within Wikipedia, which prompted the history teacher Andrew Schlafly to found Conservapedia, a cultural conservative wiki.[76] One of its "Conservapedia Commandments" is that users must always apply BC/AD notation, since its sponsors perceive BCE/CE notation to "deny the historical basis" of the dating system.[77]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Astronomical Almanac -- Online. (2009). United States Naval Observatory. s.v. calendar, Gregorian in Glossary.
  2. ^ Doggett, L. E. (1992). "Calendars". In P. K. Seidelmann (ed.). Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac. Sausalito, California: University Science Books. p. 581. ISBN 0-935702-68-7. The Gregorian calendar today serves as an international standard for civil use....Years are counted from the initial epoch defined by Dionysius Exiguus
  3. ^ Two separate systems that also do not use religious titles, the 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. Presently, ISO 8601 dating requires usage of the Gregorian calendar for all dates, however; whereas astronomical dating and Common Era dating allow usage of the Julian calendar for dates before 1582 CE.
  4. ^ Dictionaries: Common Era and Christian Era used interchangeably
    • "Common Era". Collins Dictionary of the English Language. London & Glasgow: Collins. 1980. ISBN 0 00 433080-3. Com+mon E•ra n. another name for Christian Era.
    • "Common Era". Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. 2003. Retrieved 13 December 2007. Main Entry: Common Era – Function: noun – Date: 1846 – : christian era
    • ""Common Era"". Dictionary.com The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. (2004). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 2007-09-09. Com•mon Era – n. Abbr. C.E. – The period coinciding with the Christian era. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • ""Common Era"". Dictionary.com Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). (© 2006). Random House. Retrieved 9 September 2007. Common Era – –noun Christian Era. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • ""common era"". Dictionary.com WordNet 3.0. (© 2006). Princeton University. Retrieved 9 September 2007. common era – 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] {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Sources supporting interchangeabilty with Current Era
  6. ^ Dictionaries: CE
    • ""CE"". Dictionary.com The American Heritage Science Dictionary. (© 2002). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 9 September 2007. CE – Abbreviation for Common Era. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • "CE". Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. 2003. Retrieved 13 December 2007. Main Entry: CE – Function: abbreviation – 3 Christian Era —often punctuated; Common Era —often punctuated
    • "C.E.". Collins Dictionary of the English Language. London & Glasgow: Collins. 1980. ISBN 0 00 433080-3. C.E. 5. Common Era.
    • ""C.E."". Dictionary.com American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition. (© 2005). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 9 September 2007. C.E. – 4. Common Era {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • ""C.E."". Dictionary.com Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). (© 2006). Random House. Retrieved 9 September 2007. C.E. – 5. common era. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • "ce"""c.e."". Dictionary.com WordNet 3.0. (© 2006). Princeton University. Retrieved 9 September 2007. ce, c.e. – adverb – 1. of the period coinciding with the Christian era; preferred by some writers who are not Christians; 'in 200 CE' [syn: CE] {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)WP editorial note: the source does not mention any suffix like "[syn: CE]" for entry "ce" as shown for entry "c.e.".
  7. ^ Oxford Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus. (American edition) (1997). New York: Oxford University Press. s.v. A.D.
  8. ^ Dictionaries: BCE
    • ""BCE"". Dictionary.com The American Heritage Science Dictionary. (© 2002). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 11 September 2007. BCE – Abbreviation for before the Common Era. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • "BCE". Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. 2003. Retrieved 9 September 2007. Main Entry: BCE – Function: abbreviation – 3 before the Christian Era —often punctuated; before the Common Era —often punctuated
    • "B.C.E.". Collins Dictionary of the English Language. London & Glasgow: Collins. 1980. ISBN 0 00 433080-3. B.C.E. abbrev. for Before Common Era (used, esp. by non-Christians, in numbering years B.C.)
    • ""B.C.E."". Dictionary.com American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition. (© 2005). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 11 September 2007. B.C.E. – Before the Common Era {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • ""B.C.E."". Dictionary.com The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. (2005). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 11 September 2007. B.C.E. – An abbreviation sometimes used in place of b.c. It means 'before the Common Era.' – [Chapter:] Conventions of Written English {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • ""B.C.E."". Dictionary.com Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). (© 2006). Random House. Retrieved 11 September 2007. B.C.E. – 4. before (the) Common (or Christian) Era. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    • "bce"""b.c.e."". Dictionary.com WordNet 3.0. (© 2006). Princeton University. Retrieved 11 September 2007. bce, b.c.e. – adverb – of the period before the Common Era; preferred by some writers who are not Christians; "in 200 BCE" [syn: BCE] {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)WP editorial note: the source does not mention any suffix like "[syn: BCE]" for entry "bce" as shown for entry "b.c.e.".
  9. ^ a b "Earliest-found use of "vulgaris aerae" (Latin for Common Era) (1615)". Retrieved 12 January 2008. Johannes Kepler (1615). Joannis Keppleri Eclogae chronicae: ex epistolis doctissimorum aliquot virorum & suis mutuis, quibus examinantur tempora nobilissima: 1. Herodis Herodiadumque, 2. baptismi & ministerii Christi annorum non plus 2 1/4, 3. passionis, mortis et resurrectionis Dn. N. Iesu Christi, anno aerae nostrae vulgaris 31. non, ut vulgo 33., 4. belli Iudaici, quo funerata fuit cum Ierosolymis & Templo Synagoga Iudaica, sublatumque Vetus Testamentum. Inter alia & commentarius in locum Epiphanii obscurissimum de cyclo veteri Iudaeorum (in Latin). Francofurti : Tampach. anno aerae nostrae vulgaris
  10. ^ a b History of the World Christian Movement. Retrieved 11 January 2008. Irvin, Dale T. (2001). History of the World Christian Movement. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. xi. ISBN 0567088669. The influence of western culture and scholarship upon the rest of the world in turn led to this system of dating becoming the most widely used one across the globe today. Many scholars in historical and religious studies in the West in recent years have sought to lessen the explicitly Christian meaning of this system without abandoning the usefulness of a single, common, global form of dating. For this reason the terms common era and before the common era, abbreviated as CE and BCE, have grown in popularity as designations. The terms are meant, in deference to non-Christians, to soften the explicit theological claims made by the older Latin terminology, while at the same time providing continuity with earlier generations of mostly western Christian historical research. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Get Set for Religious Studies. Retrieved 11 January 2008. Corrywright, Dominic (2006). Get Set for Religious Studies. Edinburgh University Press. p. 18. ISBN 074862032X. Also note where AD (from the Latin 'in the year of our Lord') and BC (before Christ) are used in datings, for although the numerical calculation of this system is now the international convention, the terminology used in religious studies is CE (common era) and BCE (before the common era), which are more neutrally descriptive terms {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Andrew Herrmann (2006-05-27). "BCE date designation called more sensitive". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2008-10-03. Retrieved 15 June 2007. 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 {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 2007-10-12 suggested (help).
  13. ^ Anno Domini (which means in the year of the/our Lord)"Anno Domini". Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. 2003. Retrieved 4 February 2008. Etymology: Medieval Latin, in the year of the Lord Translated as "in the year of (Our) Lord" in Blackburn, B & Holford-Strevens, L, (2003), The Oxford Companion to the Year, Oxford University Press, 782.
  14. ^ "Historical background of the use of "CE" and "BCE" to identify dates". Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. According to David Barrett et al., editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones. The vast majority do not recognize Yeshua of Nazareth as either God or Messiah. Expecting followers of other religions to imply this status for Yeshua can create ill feeling.
  15. ^ Heustis, Reer R, Jr. (9 September 2007). "Common Era and the culture war". RenewAmerica. referred to as Year of our Lord, which is an unmistakable reference to the Lord Jesus Christ....Not every person believes that Jesus is the Lord, they argue, and therefore, he should not have to acknowledge Christ's Lordship...Make no mistake about it: Jesus Christ is not only the Lord of Christians — He is also the Lord of all.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ a b Pedersen, O., (1983), "The Ecclesiastical Calendar and the Life of the Church" in Coyne, G.V. et al. (Eds.) The Gregorian Reform of the Calendar, Vatican Observatory, p. 50.
  17. ^ Doggett, L.E., (1992), "Calendars" in Seidelmann, P.K., The Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac, Sausalito CA: University Science Books, p. 579.
  18. ^ Bromiley, Geoffrey W. (1995). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 0802837816. Retrieved 25 December 2008. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |isbn2= ignored (help)
  19. ^ Pedersen, O., (1983), "The Ecclesiastical Calendar and the Life of the Church" in Coyne, G.V. et al. (Eds.) The Gregorian Reform of the Calendar, Vatican Observatory, p. 52.
  20. ^ Bede wrote of the Incarnation of Jesus, but treated it as synonymous with birth. Blackburn, B & Holford-Strevens, L, (2003), The Oxford Companion to the Year, Oxford University Press, 778.
  21. ^ As noted in Zero#History of zero, the use of zero in Western civilization was uncommon before the 12th century.
  22. ^ a b "General Chronology". New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. Vol III. Robert Appleton Company, New York. 1908. Retrieved 12 December 2007. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
  23. ^ It is relatively recently the word vulgar has come to mean "crudely indecent"
  24. ^ In Latin, Common Era is written as Vulgaris Aerae. It also occasionally appears as æræ vulgaris, aerae vulgaris, aeram vulgarem, anni vulgaris, vulgaris aerae Christianae, and anni vulgatae nostrae aerae Christianas.
  25. ^ Second use of "vulgaris aerae" (Latin for Common Era) (1617). Retrieved 12 January 2008. Johannes Kepler, Jakob Bartsch (1617). Ephemerides novae motuum coelestium, ab anno vulgaris aerae MDCXVII[-XXXVI]... Johannes Plancus. Part 3 has title: Tomi L Ephemeridvm Ioannis Kepleri pars tertia, complexa annos à M.DC.XXIX. in M.DC.XXXVI. In quibus & tabb. Rudolphi jam perfectis, et sociâ operâ clariss. viri dn. Iacobi Bartschii ... Impressa Sagani Silesiorvm, in typographeio Ducali, svmptibvs avthoris, anno M.DC.XXX.
    • Translation of title (per 1635 English edition): New Ephemerids for the Celestiall Motions, for the Yeeres of the Vulgar Era 1617–1636
  26. ^ Earliest so-far-found use of vulgar era in English (1635). Retrieved 18 December 2007. Johann Kepler, Adriaan Vlacq. Ephemerides of the Celestiall Motions, for the Yeers of the Vulgar Era 1633... {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |published= ignored (help)
  27. ^ vulgar era in English (1701). Retrieved 14 December 2007. John LeClerc, ed. (1701). The Harmony of the Evangelists. London: Sam Buckley. p. 5. Before Christ according to the Vulgar AEra, 6 {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |digitized= ignored (help)
  28. ^ Prideaux use of "Vulgar Era" (1716). 1799 reprint. Retrieved 14 December 2007. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |digitized= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |quote2= ignored (help) Humphrey Prideaux, D.D. (1716). The Old and New Testament Connected in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: D. Schaw & Co. p. 1. This happened in the seventh year after the building of Rome, and in the second year of the eighth Olympiad, which was the seven hundred forty-seventh year before Christ, i. e. before the beginning of the vulgar æra, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |original= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |reprint= ignored (help)
  29. ^ Merriam Webster accepts the date of 1716, but does not give the source. "Merriam Webster Online entry for Vulgar Era". Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  30. ^ "vulgar era of the nativity" (1796). Retrieved 18 December 2007. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |digitized= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |original= ignored (help) Rev. Robert Walker, Isaac Newton, Thomas Falconer. Analysis of Researches Into the Origin and Progress of Historical Time, from the Creation to ... London: T. Cadell Jr. and W. Davies. p. 10. Dionysius the Little brought the vulgar era of the nativity too low by four years. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |published= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ "1584 Latin use of aerae christianae". Retrieved 13 January 2008. Grynaeus, Johann Jacob (1584). De Eucharistica controuersia, capita doctrinae theologicae de quibus mandatu, illustrissimi principis ac domini, D. Iohannis Casimiri, Comites Palatini ad Rhenum, Ducis Bauariae, tutoris & administratoris Electoralis Palatinatus, octonis publicis disputationibus (quarum prima est habita 4 Apr. anno aerae christianae 1584, Marco Beumlero respondente) praeses Iohannes Iacobus Grynaeus, orthodoxae fidei rationem interrogantibus placidè reddidit ; accessit eiusdem Iohannis Iacobi Grynaeus synopsis orationis, quam de disputationis euentu, congressione nona, quae indicit in 15 Aprilis, publicè habuit (Microform) (in Latin) (Editio tertia ed.). Heidelbergae: Typis Iacobi Mylij. OCLC 123471534. 4 Apr. anno aerae christianae 1584 {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |topic= ignored (help)
  32. ^ "1649 use of æræ Christianæ in English book - 1st usage found in English". Retrieved 13 January 2008. WING, Vincent (1649). Speculum uranicum, anni æræ Christianæ, 1649, or, An almanack and prognosication for the year of our Lord, 1649 being the first from bissextile or leap-year, and from the creation of the world 5598, wherein is contained many useful, pleasant and necessary observations, and predictions ... : calculated (according to art) for the meridian and latitude of the ancient borrough town of Stamford in Lincolnshire ... and without sensible errour may serve the 3. kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland. London: J.L. for the Company of Stationers. anni æræ Christianæ, 1649
  33. ^ first appearance of "Christian Era" in English (1652). Retrieved 19 December 2007. Sliter, Robert (1652). A celestiall glasse, or, Ephemeris for the year of the Christian era 1652 being the bissextile or leap-year: contayning the lunations, planetary motions, configurations & ecclipses for this present year ... : with many other things very delightfull and necessary for most sorts of men: calculated exactly and composed for ... Rochester. London: Printed for the Company of Stationers.
  34. ^ first so-far-found use of common era in English (1708). Retrieved 2010-01-18. The History of the Works of the Learned. Vol. 10. London. 1708. p. 513. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  35. ^ Gregory, David (1715). The Elements of Astronomy, Physical and Geometrical. Vol. v. 1. London: printed for J. Nicholson, and sold by J. Morphew. p. 252. Retrieved 5 January 2008. Some say the World was created 3950 Years before the common Æra of Christ {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |unused_data= (help); Text "digitized 2006-04-13" ignored (help) Before Christ and Christian Era appear on the same page 252, while Vulgar Era appears on page 250
  36. ^ 1759 use of common æra. Retrieved 12 January 2008. Sale, George (1759). An Universal History: From the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time By George Sale,. Vol. 13. London: C. Bathurst [etc.] p. 130. at which time they fixed that for their common era {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthros= ignored (help) In this case, their refers to the Jews.
  37. ^ common era and vulgar era as synonyms in English (1770). Retrieved 5 January 2008. Hooper, William (1770). The Elements of Universal Eurdition (v. 2). London: G. Scott, printer, for J Robson, bookseller in New-Bond Street, and B. Law in Ave-Mary Lane. pp. 105, 63. in the year of the world 3692, and 312 years before the vulgar era.... The Spanish era began with the year of the world 3966, and 38 years before the common era (p63) {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ "vulgar era" in 1797 EB. 1797. p. 228 v. 14 pt. 1 P (Peter). Retrieved 14 December 2007. St Peter died in the 66th year of the vulgar era
    "common era" in 1797 EB. 1797. p. 50 v. 14 pt. 1 P (Paul). Retrieved 14 December 2007. This happened in the 33rd year of the common era, fome time after our Saviour's death.
    George Gleig, ed. (1797). Encyclopædia Britannica: Or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature (Third Edition in 18 volumes). Edinburgh. v. 14 pt. 1 P. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |digitized= ignored (help)
  39. ^ Alexander Campbell (1835). The Living Oracles, Fourth Edition. pp. 16–20. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  40. ^ Alexander Campbell (1835). The Living Oracles, Fourth Edition. pp. 15–16. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  41. ^ "common era of the Jews" (1874). Retrieved 12 December 2007. the common era of the Jews places the creation in BC 3760 A. Whitelaw, ed. (1874). Conversations Lexicon. Vol. V. Oxford University Press. p. 207. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  42. ^ "common era of the Jews" (1858). Retrieved 13 December 2007. 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. Rev. Bourchier Wrey Savile, MA (1858). The first and second Advent: or, The past and the future with reference to the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God. London: Wertheim, Macintosh and Hunt. p. 176.
  43. ^ "common era of the Mahometans" (1856). Retrieved 13 December 2007. Its epoch is the first of March old style. The common era of the Mahometans, as has already been stated, is that of the flight of Mahomet. Johannes von Gumpach (1856). Practical tables for the reduction of Mahometan dates to the Christian calendar. Oxford University. p. 4.
  44. ^ "common era of the world" (1801). Retrieved 14 December 2007. William Jones (1801). The Theological, Philosophical and Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. William Jones. London: Rivington.
  45. ^ "common era of the foundation of Rome" (1854). Retrieved 13 December 2007. Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee (1854). Universal History: From the Creation of the World to the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century. Boston: Fetridge and Company. p. 284.
  46. ^ "common era of the Incarnation" (1833). Retrieved 13 December 2007. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature. Vol. V (9 ed.). New York: Henry G. Allen and Company. 1833. p. 711.
  47. ^ "common era" "of the Nativity" (1864). Retrieved 13 December 2007. 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. James Henthorn Todd (1864). St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, A Memoir of his Life and Mission. Dublin: Hodges, Smith & Co, Publishers to the University. pp. 495, 496, 497.
  48. ^ "common era of the birth of Christ" (1812). Retrieved 14 December 2007. Heneage Elsley (1812). Annotations on the Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles (2nd edition) (2nd ed.). London: A. J. Valpy for T. Payne. xvi. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)
  49. ^ The term common era does not appear in this book; the term Christian era [lowercase] does appear a number of times. Nowhere in the book is the abbreviation explained or expanded directly. Search for era in this book.
  50. ^ "What is Thelema?". Retrieved 2010-01-18.
  51. ^ "Jewish Calendar: Numbering of Jewish Years". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
  52. ^ a b Michael Gormley (24 April 2005). "Use of B.C. and A.D. faces changing times". Houston Chronicle. p. A–13. Retrieved 30 August 2007. (Registration required.)
  53. ^ See, for example, the Society for Historical Archaeology states in its more recent style guide "Do not use C.E. (current era) ... or B.C.E.; convert these expressions to A.D. and B.C." Society for Historical Archaeology (2006). "Style Guide". Retrieved 29 August 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help). Whereas the American Anthropological Association style guide American Anthropological Society (2003). "AAA Style Guide" (PDF). Retrieved 9 September 2006. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help) takes a different approach.
  54. ^ [1] [2] 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.
  55. ^ Smithsonian Institution. "World History Standards". Smithsonian Education. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  56. ^ "Submission Guidelines for The Ostracon". The Ostracon — Journal of the Egyptian Studies Society. Retrieved 9 September 2006. For dates, please use the now-standard "BCE-CE" notation, rather than "BC-AD." Authors with strong religious preferences may use "BC-AD," however.
    - "Contributor Guidelines" (pdf). The Pomegranate: the International Journal of Pagan Studies. Retrieved 3 October 2008. All dates should be in the format BCE/CE, unless in quoted material.Scholar search
    - "Author Guidelines". American Journal of Philology. Retrieved 10 August 2007. Eras and dates. The journal prefers B.C.E., C.E.
    - "Manuscript Submission Guidelines". Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha. Retrieved 10 August 2007. we prefer BCE, CE
    - "Style Guide" (DOC). Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies. Retrieved 10 August 2007. Please use BCE (Before Current Era) and CE (Current Era) rather than B.C. and A.D.
  57. ^ "Maryland Church News Submission Guide & Style Manual" (PDF). Maryland Church News. 1 April 2005. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  58. ^ "AP: World History". Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  59. ^ "Introduction to Calendars". U. S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department. 15 October 2004. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  60. ^ "Jerusalem Timeline". History Channel. Retrieved 9 September 2006.;"Jerusalem: Biographies". History Channel. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  61. ^ "State School Board reverses itself on B.C./A.D. controversy". Family Foundation of Kentucky. Retrieved 4 October 2006.
  62. ^ Joe Biesk (15 June 2006). "School board keeps traditional historic designations". Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved 13 December 2007.
  63. ^ "Kentucky Board of Education Report" (PDF). Kentucky Board of Education Report. 10 June 2006. Retrieved 13 December 2007.
  64. ^ Doggett, L. (1992). "Calendars". In P. Kenneth Seidelmann (ed.). Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac. Sausalito, CA: University Science Books. p. 579. ISBN 0-935702-68-7.
  65. ^ a b c "Comments on the use of CE and BCE to identify dates in history". ReligiousTolerance.com. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
  66. ^ Annan, Kofi A., (then Secretary-General of the United Nations) (28 June 1999). "Common values for a common era: Even as we cherish our diversity, we need to discover our shared values". Civilization: The Magazine of the Library of Congress. Retrieved 21 December 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  67. ^ Wilson, Kenneth G. (1993). "The Columbia Guide to Standard American English – A.D., B.C., (A.)C.E., B.C.E." Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  68. ^ "Major Rule Changes in The Chicago Manual of Style, Fifteenth Edition". University of Chicago Press. 15th ed.: 2003. Retrieved 12 September 2007. Certain abbreviations traditionally set in small caps are now in full caps (AD, BCE, and the like), with small caps an option. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  69. ^ Steel, Duncan (1999), Marking time: the epic quest to invent the perfect calendar, p. 111, retrieved 26 August 2009
  70. ^ Investigating Culture: An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology. Retrieved 19 September 2007. Carol Lowery Delaney (2004). Investigating Culture: An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology. Blackwell Publishing. p. 86. ISBN 0631222375. I find CE a euphemism because the common era still begins with Christ's birth and,thus, conceals the political implications. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |length= ignored (help)
  71. ^ Abraham on Trial: The Social Legacy of Biblical Myth.Carol Lowery Delaney (1998). Abraham on Trial: The Social Legacy of Biblical Myth. Princeton University Press. p. 267. ISBN 0691070504. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |length= ignored (help)
  72. ^ Kenneth G. Wilson (1993). "The Columbia Guide to Standard American English". Retrieved 13 December 2007. Common era (C.E.) itself needs a good deal of further justification, in view of its clearly Christian numbering. Most conservatives still prefer A.D. and B.C. Best advice: don't use B.C.E., C.E., or A.C.E. to replace B.C. and A.D. without translating the new terms for the very large number of readers who will not understand them. Note too that 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.
  73. ^ Panikkar, Raimon. Christophany: The Fullness of Man (Maryville, NY: Orbis Books, 2004), 173.
  74. ^ Whitney, Susan (2006-12-02). "Altering history? Changes have some asking 'Before what?'". The Deseret News. Retrieved 13 December 2007. I find this attempt to restructure history offensive," Lori Weintz wrote, in a letter to National Geographic publishers.... The forward to your book says B.C. and A.D. were removed so as to 'not impose the standards of one culture on others.'... 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.
  75. ^ a b "On Retaining The Traditional Method Of Calendar Dating (B.C./A.D.)". Southern Baptist Convention. June 2000. This practice [of BCE/CE] is the result of the secularization, anti-supernaturalism, religious pluralism, and political correctness pervasive in our society... retention [of BC/AD] is a reminder to those in this secular age of the importance of Christ's life and mission and emphasizes to all that history is ultimately His Story.
  76. ^ Simon, Stephanie (22 June 2007). "A conservative's answer to Wikipedia". Los Angeles Times.
  77. ^ Conservapedia Commandments at Conservapedia

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