5.0240 Rs: BCE/CE (4/54)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Fri, 19 Jul 1991 11:40:46 EDT
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 5, No. 0240. Friday, 19 Jul 1991.
(1) Date: Wed, 17 Jul 91 10:30:46 PLT (9 lines)
From: Paul Brians <BRIANS@WSUVM1>
Subject: BCE/CE
(2) Date: Wed, 17 Jul 91 21:30 GMT (10 lines)
From: George Aichele <0004705237@mcimail.com>
Subject: BCE/BC
(3) Date: Wed, 17 Jul 91 22:36:10 EDT (18 lines)
From: Eric Rabkin <USERGDFD@UMICHUM.BITNET>
Subject: BCE/CE v BC/AD
(4) Date: Tue, 16 Jul 91 22:40:41 EDT (17 lines)
From: PAULA PRESLEY <AD15%NEMOMUS.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: 5.0233 Qs: ... BCE/CE ...
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 91 10:30:46 PLT
From: Paul Brians <BRIANS@WSUVM1>
Subject: BCE/CE
I'm no expert, but I believe Jewish scholars, particularly Biblical
ones, invented the BCE/CE designation, which many of us prefer because
it avoids the Christian bias in the BC/AD label, which is inaccurate
anyway, because it hinges on an incorrectly calculated date for the
birth of Jesus. I don't know when it was first developed.
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------20----
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 91 21:30 GMT
From: George Aichele <0004705237@mcimail.com>
Subject: BCE/BC
I don't know the who or when, but the why of the change (from BC to
BCE and from AD to CE) was to "de-Christianize" the calendar
terminology -- at least, that's what I was told. BCE and CE are
widely used in biblical studies -- I don't know about other fields.
George Aichele
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------22----
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 91 22:36:10 EDT
From: Eric Rabkin <USERGDFD@UMICHUM.BITNET>
Subject: BCE/CE v BC/AD
I don't know who or when BCE and CE were introduced, but, as
I understand it, the point is to de-Christianize the historical
timeline. Before the Common Era (BCE) accepts the historical
reality that the era we in the West share dates itself according
to the birth of Jesus but avoids using the notion of Christ,
the Annointed One, since not all people who share that calendar
share that belief. Similarly, Common Era says nothing about
Anno Domini, the Year of Our Lord. Personally, I prefer BCE
and CE and use them.
Eric Rabkin esrabkin@umichum.bitnet
Department of English esrabkin@um.cc.umich.edu
University of Michigan office: 313-764-2553
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1045 dept : 313-764-6330
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------132---
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 91 22:40:41 EDT
From: PAULA PRESLEY <AD15%NEMOMUS.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: 5.0233 Qs: Vulgate etext; Citation; BCE/CE ... (5/74)
In re: BCE/CE usage.
I recall seeing these abbreviations when I was a child (circa
WWII) in a neighbor's Jehovah Witness literature. It was explained
that they meant Before the Common Era and Common Era; the neighbor,
a lay person, explained that they were used so as not to give
prominence to any individual (Jesus Christ), but that they were
the same dates as the "Common" calender we used. (So, this is
not reall an answer to the question; I don't know when and where
the abbrevs. came into "popular" or "scholarly" use...does
anybody else know?
Paula Presley
Northeast Missouri State University
AD15@nemomus.bitnet