Dating systems: BC and AD, or BCE and CE?

[Epictetus]

I noticed an interesting post by Mary Beard, in which she states:

I would say that some 50% of academic articles in Ancient History now use CE and BCE, more in the USA.

I checked my Cambridge Guide to English Usage, and they don't make a preference or state which is more popular. The Guardian Style Guide says to use the old style "BC and AD."

I suppose I prefer the old style, simply because that is what I'm used to.

Which dating system do you prefer? Before Christ and Anno Domini, or Before Common Era and Common Era?

And please, don't spout off about religion and get this topic deleted. I'm curious about the results. :wink:

[Eleatic Guest]

Which dating system do you prefer? Before Christ and Anno Domini, or Before Common Era and Common Era?

BC and AD, obviously.

The other system is a recent invention of ideologically charged leftist or atheist deconstructivists. Probably because they disagree with the church, religion or whatever, they feel the need to make a label change.

But has anyone ever seen a conservative or any man declining to use "meter" and "kilometer" because the system was introduced by French Revolutionaries who put thousands under the guillotine in the name of "reason"? That would be mighty ridiculous, wouldn't it? But exactly the same thing has been done to the traditional BC/AD convention by deconstructivists.

Next they are going to change USA into the more politically correct USSNA: United States of the southern part of North America.

My proposal: if one does not like a system, don't use it, create your own. But don't twist the term designating the system until you like it. That's political piracy.

Apologies for my strong opinion here. This is all I will say here. :-)

[Jona Lendering]

I often work with Muslims and Jews, some of them religious. They appreciate it that I use BCE and CE. If that makes them more willing to read about theories that clash with their beliefs, and consider them, I think it's only logical to use BCE and CE.

[caiusbeerquitius]

I use BCE and CE, because the BC and AD is not "correct" in regard of the assumed / discussed birthdate of Christ. And because I teach students of all kinds of religions and students without confession (a growing number). I work for the state, and IMO state and church need to be very separate things.

[Vindex]

BC and AD - political correctness imposed on me just makes me more determined to use it.

There's enough ansgt in the historical world with the change to the Gregorian calandar - why blur dates any firther???

And what is Common about the Era before the Gregorian calandar? I am sure other religious communities have different ways of defining their history.

[Dan D'Silva]

I use BC/AD most of the time because I'm used to it. In college they asked us to use BCE/CE in non-Christian contexts, and presumably I'd do so again if I went back (always wish I could get a little degree in history -- an associate's or something). I don't see any reason to feel strongly about the question.

Ed.: Ha, just noticed that this poll is a POLL! "Other, or no preference" here.

[Sean Manning]

But has anyone ever seen a conservative or any man declining to use "meter" and "kilometer" because the system was introduced by French Revolutionaries who put thousands under the guillotine in the name of "reason"? That would be mighty ridiculous, wouldn't it? But exactly the same thing has been done to the traditional BC/AD convention by deconstructivists.

James Randi has stated several times that several federal politicians in the US have told him that whenever they propose a metrification bill, they are barraged by lobbyists from the religious right who argue just that: that metric is a creation of godless French revolutionaries so proper Americans shouldn't use it.

Although the common era started out as a way to date events relative to the birth of Christ, its not tied to that any more than the meter is tied to the diameter of the earth. They didn't re-calibrate all the dates when scholars decided Jesus of Nazareth was probably born a few years before AD 1! Simply adding the BC system was a major change (and BC is in English and put after, whereas AD is in Latin and put before ... messy).

[Darth_Roach]

AUC is the only legitimate dating system!

[jkaler48]

I hate the evil pagan scientists who land junk on the sacred planets of the Gods without first making the proper sacrifices. Not to mention insulting the God of the underworld by downgrading His planet to "Dwarf" status.

[Theodosius the Great]

BC/AD

I can't add much more to what's been said except that I would never buy a history book that uses the other notation.

~Theo

[Paul Elliott]

Agreed. Everytime I get to '68 CE' I have to stop, remind myself what CE is equivalent to, then continue.

If other religious writers want to use their own dating systems in their papers or books, then good luck to them. I don't mind. I could easily read a Jewish historian's book about Roman events in the Middle East which used the Jewish calender.

But twisting BC/AD to something no different, just 'politically correct' seems paltry and simple-minded.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

BC/AD...I don't know where BCE came from or what itmeans.
Caqn anyone explain?
If it is wrong to use BC/AD because we got Christs birthday wrong, when do these alternatives end and start, and why has the clanader not changed to reflect it?
We already recognise the Chinese Calander, and I often consult my chinese horoscope.
But why should we change our terminaology? It makes no sense?
I seriously doubt the ban of AD/BC will improve our standing in the eyess of different cultures.
Rather, I would think it makes them think we are weak pushovers, who are eager to please anyone who voices disagreement with our views and culture.
I never met a Muslim in the muslim country I lived in for 7 years mention they hated our calander. Seems there sre other reasons we have alienated people, but I doubt our calander has anything to do with it!

[Kai]

I use BCE and CE, because the BC and AD is not "correct" in regard of the assumed / discussed birthdate of Christ. And because I teach students of all kinds of religions and students without confession (a growing number). I work for the state, and IMO state and church need to be very separate things.

Well... growing up in eastern Germany I got to know v.u.z./u.z. (BCE/CE) as the officially enforced terminology of the regime, because it naturally was anti-religious. I do not have a confession myself but I do not want to use that terminology, especially as hard-core Nazis were also fond of avoiding Christian dating...

If one has to steer clear of religious trouble by all means, I suggest: ISO 8601/EN 28601

[Jona Lendering]

I seriously doubt the ban of AD/BC will improve our standing in the eyess of different cultures.

Well, it does. If you show sensitivity, you will gain credit.

People with whom you might seriously disagree, will give you a lot of additional credit if you avoid BC/AD. An example is the historicity of the Hebrew conquest of Canaan - so crucial to Zionism, but essentially a myth. If you abstain from BC/AD, many orthodox Jews will in return give you space to argue why it's a myth.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

All I am saying is the date was never an issue in the day to day life.
Academics possibly!

We were perhaps treated well because we did not look down on them.
There were enough foreigners doing that.