Common Era (also known as
Christian Era and
Current Era;
[1][2][3] abbreviated
CE)
[4] is a designation for the period of time beginning with year 1 of the
proleptic Gregorian calendar. An earlier date is then designated
BCE, described as "
Before the Common", "
Christian", or "
Current Era".
[5] The numbering of years is identical to the numbering in the
Anno Domini system, neither system using a
year zero.
[6] Originating among Christians in Europe at least as early as 1615 (at first in
Latin),
[7] Common Era notation has been adopted in several non-Christian cultures, by many scholars in religious studies and other academic fields,
[8][9] and by others wishing to be sensitive to non-Christians,
[10] since Common Era does not explicitly make use of religious titles for Jesus, such as
Christ and
Lord, which are used in the AD/BC notation.
[11][8][12][13] The use of BCE and CE has been criticized by some (who favor the BC/AD system) as being "the result of secularization" and "political correctness".
[14]The Gregorian calendar is the calendar system with most widespread usage in the world today. For decades, it has been the unofficial global standard, recognized by international institutions such as the United Nations and the Universal Postal Union.
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).[15] Thus, the current year is written as 2008 in both systems (or, if further clarity is needed, as 2008 CE, or as AD 2008), and the year that Socrates died is represented as 399 BCE (the same year that is represented by 399 BC in the BC/AD system). The abbreviations are sometimes written with small capital letters, or with periods (e.g., "BCE" or "C.E.").[16]
The year numbering system for the Common Era was devised by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the year 525. He attempted to number years from the Incarnation of Jesus[17] "although scholars generally believe that Christ was born some years before A.D. 1."[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 of Jesus, and the practice of not using a year zero. In 1422, Portugal became the last Western European country to switch to the system begun by Dionysius.[20]
