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Religion-neutral calendars: How do BCE and CE change our view of time?
In today's society, many academic circles and daily life have increasingly used BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era) to replace the traditional BC and AD. This change prompts everyone to rethink the use of time. Recording method.
CE and BCE are two year number systems in the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar). They are numerically equivalent, but the meanings they convey are fundamentally different.
The evolution and origin of the calendar
The origins of the dating system BC and AD can be traced back to 525, when it was proposed by the Christian monk Dionysius Exiguus to record the birth year of Jesus Christ. This system was originally intended to replace the then Martyr Era system. Dionysius hoped to use this system to replace the memory of what he considered to be a tyrant who persecuted Christians.
He labeled the proposed new chronology "Anni Domini Nostri Jesu Christi" (the year of our Lord Jesus Christ).
This system spread throughout Europe with Bede's use in England in 731, and was gradually accepted. Year zero AD was not introduced, and the year calculations began with the birth of Jesus. Around 1422, Portugal became the last Western European country to switch to the calendar system founded by Dionysius.
The formation and transformation of BCE and CE
The term "Vulgar Era" first appeared in about 1615, by Johannes Kepler, and gradually evolved into the commonly accepted term "Common Era" today. At the same time, the Christian way of recording years brings a certain sense of exclusion to non-Christians, which in turn promotes the use of BCE and CE, which are considered by some scholars to be more neutral and inclusive.
Proponents of the use of CE and BCE argue that this shows sensitivity to non-Christian societies that use the same chronology.
Contemporary controversy and acceptance
Currently, the usage of CE and BCE varies significantly among different countries. For example, in Australia, there were reports that school textbooks would be converted to use the BCE/CE calendar. However, they encountered opposition from some politicians and church leaders. In the United States, some publications have completely transitioned to using BCE/CE, such as the 2007 edition of "World Yearbook".
Academia’s views
Although some scholars support the use of CE and BCE, there is still considerable controversy. A 2014 study showed that the growth rate of BCE/CE dating in academic literature has not been at the expense of the use of BC and AD, and the use of the two dating methods has been relatively stable.
Opponents point out that although CE and BCE claim to be more neutral in name, they still use Christian chronological foundations.
Worldwide usage
In Nepal, BCE and CE are widely used to avoid confusion with the local Bikram calendar. At the same time, some areas in the UK are gradually accepting this new way of counting. Although the BBC and the Guardian still use BC/AD, some web pages and reports use BCE/CE format.
Conclusion
The promotion of using BCE and CE is not limited to academia, it also reflects multicultural exchanges in the context of globalization. As society becomes increasingly diversified, can such changes truly promote understanding and tolerance among cultures?
