What Time is It?
What is the difference between B.C., B.C.E., A.D. and C.E.?
Write down each of the following abbreviations and the words they stand for in your spiral.
B.C. - Before Christ
A.D. - Anno Domini
B.C.E. - Before common era.
C.E. - Common era.
Of these four terms, the first one to come into use was A.D. or Anno Domini which means "Year of our Lord." This was invented in 525 by a monk named
Dionysius Exiguus. Dionysius claimed he had determined the year of Jesus Christ's birth. Since he was a Christian monk, he wanted a new calendar that measured each year based on Christ's birth. A.D. 525 was five hundred and twenty five years after the birth of Christ.
It would be several hundred years later when the term B.C. for "before Christ" came into use.
While Christianity is still the largest religion in the world, according to the Pew Research Center, only 31.2% of the world is Christian. Since there are many more non-Christians in the world, two new terms which do not refer to Christ have come into use: B.C.E. for "before common era" and C.E. for "common era." The term C.E. or "common era" was first used in 1708, so it has been around for a long time. These terms are now used in most history text books throughout the world.
While the terms have changed the years have not. B.C.E. still counts down to 1 just like B.C. did while C.E. counts up from 1 like A.D. did. There is no year 0.
Now answer these questions in your spiral. Include the question in your answer, or write the question.
- What does A.D. stand for?
- Who invented the term A.D.?
- About what percentage of the world is not Christion? Yes, you will have to do some math to answer this one.
- Is there a year 0?
- Do you think it was a good idea to switch from B.C. and A.D. to B.C.E. and C.E.? Explain.
