A.D. 2011

In recent years, when I teach an occasional religion, Christian history or theology class I have noticed a change in how the calendar is depicted in textbooks. The traditional B.C. and A.D. are being replaced with B.C.E. and C.E. There is always the need to draw this change to the students' attention, explain the change and then question and critique the change.

It is with interest that I came across an online article showing the Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano criticizing the BBC for making the change. The article describes well some of the challenges to the traditional rendering of the calendar.

The change is unnecessary. Challenging this change also draws attention to the fact that Christianity is very much in favor of history, for it has just as much to do with our future.