Classrooms drop BC and AD dates over fears of religious offence
SCHOOLS across England are abandoning BC and AD for dates in favour of BCE and CE over fears the former terms could offend non-christians.
A number of authorities have already adopted the style as policy, while several more are reported to be considering making the switch from the traditional to the more politically correct chronological form compulsory.
Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACRES) from Brighton & Hove and East Sussex are among those that have recently recommended BC and AD should be removed from religious education classes in order to avoid offending those of nonchristian faiths.
Schools in Essex already follow a syllabus which states: “BCE and CE are now used in order to show sensitivity to those who are not Christians.”
In East Sussex, the 2017 RE syllabus states: “BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (the Common Era) were first brought into use in the sixth century and are now used in order to show sensitivity to those who are not Christians.
“Many Christians perceive BCE and CE to be an affront to Christianity. [However], BCE/CE is becoming an industry standard among historians. Pupils have to be able to recognise these terms when they come across them.”
Despite taking the birth of Christ as its reference point, for centuries BC and AD did actually play second fiddle, even among Christians, to local conventions such as the foundation of Rome in 753 BC or Emperor Diocletian’s reforms of 284 AD.
The venerable Northumbrian monk Bede did much to popularise the counting backwards for dates – “Before Christ” – though the idea took almost a millennium to gain general currency.
SACRES were established in 1988 to advise local authority children’s services in their statutory obligation to provide religious education in schools.
They are composed of four committees, representing the Church of England, other religious groups, teacher organisations and the local authority, and are responsible for reviewing the syllabus every five years.
Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, told The Mail on Sunday: “I have never met a Muslim or Jewish leader who is offended by the Gregorian calendar,” while leading Imam Ibrahim Mogra said: “I don’t believe it causes Muslims offence.”
Their remarks were echoed by a spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews, who said: “I don’t think anyone would mind if in mainstream schools they use BC and AD.”
‘I have never met a Muslim or Jewish leader who is offended by the Gregorian calendar’