The Gregorian calendar serves as the international standard for dating. While it originated from Western Christian tradition, its widespread adoption transcends religious, cultural, and linguistic differences. This calendar hinges on the presumed birthdate of Jesus Christ. Years following this event are labeled AD or CE, while preceding years are marked BC or BCE. But What Is The Meaning Of Bce, and how does it differ from BC? Does CE equal AD? This article clarifies these dating systems and their usage.
BC and AD: A Christ-Centric System
The concept of counting years from Jesus Christ’s birth emerged around 525 AD, proposed by the Christian monk Dionysius Exiguus. Standardized within the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the system gained traction across Europe and the Christian world over subsequent centuries. AD represents Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord,” while BC signifies “before Christ.”
BCE and CE: A Shift Towards Neutrality
CE stands for “Common Era” (or “Current Era”), and BCE denotes “Before the Common Era” (or “Before the Current Era”). Although these abbreviations date back to at least the early 1700s, their use gained prominence later. Jewish academics have employed them for over a century. However, BCE/CE experienced broader adoption in the late 20th century, replacing BC/AD in various domains, notably science and academia.
The Gregorian Calendar is the global standard for dating, but the abbreviations used to denote years can vary.
The Rationale Behind BCE/CE Adoption
A significant driver for adopting BCE/CE lies in its religious neutrality. As the Gregorian calendar prevails as the global standard, individuals from non-Christian backgrounds might object to the explicitly Christian underpinnings of BC and AD. The term AD (“in the year of the Lord”) poses a particular issue, inherently implying that the Lord in question is Jesus Christ. This explicit link to Christianity is a major reason for the adoption of the BCE/CE system.
Religious neutrality motivated Jewish academics’ adoption of BCE/CE over a century ago and remains the most cited justification. Some argue that the BC/AD system is factually inaccurate. Many historians agree that Jesus’ actual birth likely predates AD 1 by at least two years. Therefore, explicitly tying years to a potentially erroneous birthdate can be considered arbitrary. Using BCE/CE bypasses this inaccuracy, as it avoids direct reference to Jesus’ birth. It acknowledges the starting point of 1 CE as a convention while minimizing the religious implications associated with our dating system.
Resistance to Change: The BC/AD Defense
The shift towards BCE/CE has encountered resistance. BC/AD remains the more prevalent system, even with BCE/CE gaining mainstream acceptance since the 1980s. Backlash against adopting the new system arose in defense of BC/AD, notably in 2002 during the UK National Curriculum’s transition. In 2011, Australian education authorities refuted plans to implement similar changes in national school textbooks amidst media controversy.
Passionate objections often stem from the perception that a new system attempts to erase Jesus Christ from history. Proponents of BC/AD argue that the Gregorian calendar is inherently Christian; therefore, obscuring this fact is unnecessary. Others question the need to replace a well-established and functional system, suggesting that the existence of two sets of abbreviations could lead to confusion and misunderstandings about historical timelines.
Some even contend that BCE/CE is less religiously inclusive than BC/AD. They argue that BCE/CE elevates Christ’s birth to the start of a new “common era,” while BC/AD is simply a reference to the event. Therefore, the arguments surrounding what is the meaning of BCE also include discussions about religious inclusivity.
Current Guidelines and Usage Recommendations
Most style guides refrain from advocating one system over the other. BC/AD remains dominant in journalistic contexts, while academic and scientific texts often prefer BCE/CE. Considering the valid arguments for both systems and their regular use, a specific recommendation is not possible. Writers can choose their preference or align with their audience, maintaining consistency within their work (avoiding mixing BC/CE or AD/BCE).
Furthermore, observe these typographical conventions:
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BC appears after the year, while AD precedes it:
1100 BC, AD 1066
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BCE and CE both follow the year:
1100 BCE, 1066 CE
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As with initialisms, periods are optional after each letter:
1100 B.C., A.D. 1066, 1100 B.C.E., 1066 C.E.
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Some style guides recommend using small caps for BC, AD, BCE, and CE:
AD 2017
Often, the choice becomes irrelevant. The BCE/CE (or BC/AD) distinction proves unnecessary outside historical contexts. Unspecified years are generally understood as CE (or AD), so dates within the last few centuries rarely include CE (or AD). Understanding what is the meaning of BCE is crucial in these contexts.
This article was created by Antidote’s linguists.
