Should the Christian date system be ditched?

FOR centuries this country has used the letters BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) in our calendar. Now some education authorities have joined the BBC in changing them to BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era). Over the years we have been lectured to respect the religions, culture and traditions of newcomers to our society. So why is there no respect for the religion and traditions of our country? If our calendar is to change, surely it

should be a decision that’s made by Parliament, not piecemeal.

P. eLFoRD, Bexhill-on-Sea, e. Sussex. IT’S not just stupid, it’s politically correctly stupid. The modern calendar is said to begin with the birth of Christ. Any time before that is BC (Before Christ), and after that is Ad (Anno domini). I have no problem with this, and I am a Jew.

JeFF BeSt, London N14.

AS A classicist and lecturer, I advise my students that they can circumvent PC speak by rendering BCE as ‘Before the Christian Era’ and CE as ‘the Christian Era’. Job done!

aNNette thoRNtoN, Reading, Berks. The British Museum started using these acronyms years ago. I remember having to ask a warden what they meant and was simply horrified.

MaRY BatteN, ascot, Berks.

IF THE terms BC and AD are to be phased out, they should perhaps be re-used in a different context: BC (Before Corbyn); AD (Afterwards disaster).

aNDReW PettigReW, haslingden, Lancs