Survivalist Pro
Photo by Steve Johnson Pexels Logo Photo: Steve Johnson

What does C and BCE mean?

CE stands for “common (or current) era”, while BCE stands for “before the common (or current) era”. These abbreviations have a shorter history than BC and AD, although they still date from at least the early 1700s.

Which is healthier almonds or peanuts?
Which is healthier almonds or peanuts?

So, the verdict is in favor of almonds, as they are better nutritionally than peanuts as they contain more iron, calcium, magnesium and healthy fats.

Read More »
Why is everyone's teeth so white on Survivor?
Why is everyone's teeth so white on Survivor?

Contestants don't get razors, toothbrushes, or other conveniences, so if they have bright white teeth or aren't growing body hair, it may be...

Read More »

The Gregorian calendar is the global standard for the measurement of dates. Despite originating in the Western Christian tradition, its use has spread throughout the world and now transcends religious, cultural and linguistic boundaries. As most people are aware, the Gregorian calendar is based on the supposed birth date of Jesus Christ. Subsequent years count up from this event and are accompanied by either AD or CE, while preceding years count down from it and are accompanied by either BC or BCE. The idea to count years from the birth of Jesus Christ was first proposed in the year 525 by Dionysius Exiguus, a Christian monk. Standardized under the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the system spread throughout Europe and the Christian world during the centuries that followed. AD stands for Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord”, while BC stands for “before Christ”.

BCE and CE

CE stands for “common (or current) era”, while BCE stands for “before the common (or current) era”. These abbreviations have a shorter history than BC and AD, although they still date from at least the early 1700s. They have been in frequent use by Jewish academics for more than 100 years, but became more widespread in the later part of the 20th century, replacing BC/AD in a number of fields, notably science and academia. An important reason for adopting BCE/CE is religious neutrality. Since the Gregorian calendar has superseded other calendars to become the international standard, members of non-Christian groups may object to the explicitly Christian origins of BC and AD. Particularly problematic is AD (“in the year of the Lord”), and its unavoidable implication that the Lord in question is Jesus Christ. Religious neutrality was the main rationale behind Jewish academics’ adoption of BCE/CE over a century ago, and continues to be its most widely cited justification. However, others object to the BC/AD system on the basis that it is objectively inaccurate. It is widely accepted that the actual birth of Jesus occurred at least two years before AD 1, and so some argue that explicitly linking years to an erroneous birthdate for Jesus is arbitrary or even misleading. BCE/CE avoids this inaccuracy since it does not explicitly refer to the birth of Jesus, removing some of the baggage associated with our dating system while also acknowledging that the starting point for 1 CE is essentially a convention.

Pushback

What are the 4 areas of self?
What are the 4 areas of self?

Below are several examples of how you can nurture yourself and make self-renewal a part of your everyday life in the four areas of self-care:...

Read More »
Is it hard living off the grid?
Is it hard living off the grid?

There's no doubt about it, living off the grid is tough. Most of your day-to-day time is spent learning how to survive on your own without the...

Read More »

The movement towards BCE/CE has not been universally accepted, and BC/AD is still more widely used, even though BCE/CE has been in the mainstream since the 1980s. There have been backlashes to the adoption of the new system in defence of BC/AD, notably in 2002 when the UK National Curriculum made the transition. In 2011, education authorities in Australia were forced to deny that such a change had been planned for national school textbooks amid a similar controversy triggered by media reports. Passions are usually highest among those who see the adoption of a new system as an attempt to write Jesus Christ out of history. They argue that the entire Gregorian Calendar is Christian in nature anyway, so why should we attempt to obscure that fact? Others ask why such a well-established and functional system should be replaced, arguing that the existence of two competing abbreviations is likely to cause confusion. It has also been argued that BCE/CE is, in fact, less religiously inclusive than BC/AD. According to some, BCE/CE elevates the importance of Christ’s birth to the start of an entirely new “common era”, while BC/AD is a simple reference to the event.

Current Status and Recommendations

Most style guides do not express a preference for one system, although BC/AD still prevails in most journalistic contexts. Conversely, academic and scientific texts tend to use BCE/CE. Since there are compelling arguments for each system and both are in regular use, we do not recommend one over the other. Given the choice, writers are free to apply their own preference or that of their audience, although they should use their chosen system consistently, meaning BC and CE should not be used together, or vice versa. There are also some typographical conventions to consider: BCE and CE should both appear after the numerical year. 1100 BCE, 1066 CE As is the case with most initialisms, periods may be used after each letter. 1100 B.C., A.D. 1066, 1100 B.C.E., 1066 C.E. Of course, writers often don’t need to make the choice at all. The BCE/CE (or BC/AD) distinction is usually unnecessary outside of historical contexts, and it is generally understood that when unspecified, the year in question is CE (or AD). As a result, dates that occurred within the last few centuries are rarely marked with CE (or AD).

Is it better to get bigger or smaller jeans?
Is it better to get bigger or smaller jeans?

Always take the smaller size as cotton tends to grow when it doesn't have a stretch fabric mixed into the cotton. It will shrink slightly on...

Read More »
How do I know if my PrEP is working?
How do I know if my PrEP is working?

Signs Your Colon is Clear The morning of your exam if you are still passing brown liquid with solid material mixed in, your colon may not be ready...

Read More »
What is preparation for life and work?
What is preparation for life and work?

Preparation for Working Life is a practical course in which students learn skills such as how and where to find employment opportunities, how to...

Read More »
What do Marines call pistols?
What do Marines call pistols?

A service pistol, also known as a personal weapon or an ordnance weapon, is any handgun issued to regular military personnel or law enforcement...

Read More »