I apologize now if this seems to be more of a rant than a delightful post about history.
In the news the other day, there is a growing controversy over the streamlining of how one denotes dates, either BC (Before Christ) or BCE (Before Common Era) for dates prior to the year 1 and dates after 1 as AD (Anno Domini – translated ‘in the year of our lord’) or CE (Common Era). [There is no year 0, so hopefully you all understand what I mean here..]
As a historian myself, I have dealt with this issue myself in my own writings. Prior to becoming Muslim, I continuously used BC/AD and would even change my professors’ class lecture notes if they used BCE/CE to the BC/AD system. Not because I was offended by their use but consistency is important when writing papers. Now that I converted to Islam, I use the BCE/CE dating system because I don’t feel comfortable dating something ‘in the year of our lord” as Jesus Christ is not my lord. (I don’t care if others use BC/AD!)
I, of course, understand the issues of the people from both sides. People who are not Christian may feel the same uncomfortable feeling dating using, “in the year of our lord.” Christians want to keep it as is because, well, they believe in Jesus as their Lord.
The article outlines their defense of the change, “the British Qualifications and Curriculum Authority argued: ‘It’s not a question of one way is wrong and one is right, more a question of which is most commonly used. CE/BCE is becoming an industry standard among historians. Pupils have to be able to recognise these terms when they come across them.’”
Each side has its valid reasons.
This issue is pressed even further in an additional article printed the same day, “Anger in Australia as school books write Christ out of history”
This article is why I feel the need for this blogpost.
A clergyman interviewed for the article claims this is removal of BC/AD is the “final insult” to Australian Christians and further says, “The direction of the national curriculum is towards almost a Christian cleansing to remove from our history any references to the role Christianity had in the formation of Australia and still has today.”
This seems a bit dramatic.
First of all, or those who have studied history of the western world, which is predominately all that you find in the states or European countries, you are getting essentially the history of the Christian world. It is near impossible to study the western world without knowing about Christianity, so therefore there will never be a Christian cleansing.
Secondly, Australia was a penal colony. So not only was the land taken from the original Aboriginal peoples but it was where prisoners were sent.. So Christianity really helped in the formation of Australia?
Well, we live in an increasingly diverse world and everyone will not be pleased, unfortunately.
So do we BC or BCE? Entirely up to you. Just stick with it.
-VB
Question: [if anyone knows the answer, please message me. Thanks.]
Why is AD in Latin and BC “Before Christ” in English?
