OT History - Common Era

[Old Savage]

I have wondered about this term but not enough to trace it down until now. This from the Wikipedia - history buffs?

The year numbering system used with Common Era notation was devised by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the year 525 to replace the Diocletian years, because he did not wish to continue the memory of a tyrant who persecuted Christians.[27] He attempted to number years from an event he referred to as the Incarnation of Jesus,[27] although scholars today generally agree that he miscalculated by a small number of years.[28][29] Dionysius labeled the column of the Easter table in which he introduced the new era "Anni Domini Nostri Jesu Christi."[30] Numbering years in this manner became more widespread with its usage by Bede in England in 731. Bede also introduced the practice of dating years before the supposed year of birth[31] of Jesus, and the practice of not using a year zero.[32] In 1422, Portugal became the last Western European country to switch to the system begun by Dionysius.[33]
The term "Common Era" is traced back in English to its appearance as "Vulgar[34] Era" (from the Latin word vulgus, the common people, i.e. those who are not royalty), to distinguish it from the regnal dating systems typically used in national law. The first use of the Latin equivalent (vulgaris aerae)[35] discovered so far was in a 1615 book by Johannes Kepler.[9] Kepler uses it again in a 1616 table of ephemerides,[36] and again in 1617.[37] A 1635 English edition of that book has the title page in English - so far, the earliest-found usage of Vulgar Era in English.[38] A 1701 book edited by John LeClerc includes "Before Christ according to the Vulgar Æra, 6".[39] A 1716 book in English by Dean Humphrey Prideaux says, "before the beginning of the vulgar æra, by which we now compute the years from his incarnation."[40][41] A 1796 book uses the term "vulgar era of the nativity".[42]
The first so-far-discovered usage of "Christian Era" is as the Latin phrase aerae christianae on the title page of a 1584 theology book.[43] In 1649, the Latin phrase æræ Christianæ appeared in the title of an English almanac.[44] A 1652 ephemeris is the first instance so-far-found for English usage of "Christian Era".[45]
The English phrase "common Era" appears at least as early as 1708,[46] and in a 1715 book on astronomy is used interchangeably with "Christian Era" and "Vulgar Era".[47] A 1759 history book uses common æra in a generic sense, to refer to the common era of the Jews.[48] The first-so-far found usage of the phrase "before the common era" is in a 1770 work that also uses common era and vulgar era as synonyms, in a translation of a book originally written in German.[49] The 1797 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica uses the terms vulgar era and common era synonymously.[50] In 1835, in his book Living Oracles, Alexander Campbell, wrote: "The vulgar Era, or Anno Domini; the fourth year of Jesus Christ, the first of which was but eight days",[51] and also refers to the common era as a synonym for vulgar era with "the fact that our Lord was born on the 4th year before the vulgar era, called Anno Domini, thus making (for example) the 42d year from his birth to correspond with the 38th of the common era..."[52] The Catholic Encyclopedia uses the sentence: "Foremost among these [various eras] is that which is now adopted by all civilized peoples and known as the Christian, Vulgar or Common Era, in the twentieth century of which we are now living."[33] During the 19th century, "Vulgar Era" came to be contrasted with "Christian Era", and "vulgar" came to mean "crudely indecent", thus no longer a synonym for "common".
The phrase "common era", in lower case, also appeared in the 19th century in a generic sense, not necessarily to refer to the Christian Era, but to any system of dates in common use throughout a civilization. Thus, "the common era of the Jews",[53][54] "the common era of the Mahometans",[55] "common era of the world",[56] "the common era of the foundation of Rome".[57] When it did refer to the Christian Era, it was sometimes qualified, e.g., "common era of the Incarnation",[58] "common era of the Nativity",[59] or "common era of the birth of Christ".[60]
Some Jewish academics were already using the CE and BCE abbreviations by the mid-19th century, such as in 1856, when Rabbi and historian, Morris Jacob Raphall used the abbreviation in his book, Post-Biblical History of The Jews.[61] As early as 1825, a different abbreviation, VE, had already been in use among Jews to denote years on the Western calendar.[62]

[Gobblerforge]

Vulger era= Black powder
Common era= Smokeless
Remember. You read it here first. 2011.
Gobbler

[M. M. Wright]

I read something recently that said that the supposed 3 or 4 year error in the calculation of the nativity was based on Josephus dating of the death of Herod. Recent other information dates Herod's death to agree with Dionysius.
I will see if I can find that source and link it here.
M. M.

[mav]

I'm not sure of the history of the phrase, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that most people who use it nowadays are trying to avoid acknowledging that instant in time that B.C. and A.D. are referring to. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,.."

[M. M. Wright]

Old Savage,
Take a look at this: Bethlehemstar.net

I think you'll like this. For years I have been teaching that Jesus was born in 7 BC (or BCE). No more!

[soon 2 retire]

O.S., where are the babes?




Bob in NE Indiana

[meanc]

Remember taking an Anthropology class. Professor, an acknowledged non-Christian, was insistent on the use of CE/BCE. I insisted on using BC/AD.

After multiple point deductions on essays/papers I called on the dean for assistance in a conference.

The professor argued not all students, nor professors, are Christians and to force everyone to adhere to that should be against the rules, then followed with "his class his rules".

I argued the use of BCE/CE is nothing more than blatant anti-Christian sentiment and the professor was forcing his "anti-Christian" view onto me/other classmates in spite of the fact that Jesus Christ absolutely existed.
Anyone with an IQ above 12 in academia should be able to recognize that.

Also stated we are to be allowed to use AD/BC/BCE/CE at our discretion and the professor deal with it, or everything be written/typed in "xxx years ago" format.

Then followed with "My money, your salary".

Dean stood by my argument. Grades were changed to remove deductions.

[Old Savage]

Gobler - that is a great one

M.M. - haven't read yours yet but in Appendix B of Grant Jeffrey's Armegeddon: Appointment with Destiny you will also find a discussion.

mav - I always thought so and it may be so but it appears the history is actually Christian.

meanc - profs live in a cloistered world ( I was one for a short time in anatomy/physiology, seems I was under two deans and they had different opinions of what I was to serve there but ultimately they could not tell me what to do. Their rules! ) I did what I thought best for the most serious students - the nursing program - and they all earned A s and got their grades on Cross pens and I decided to return to the real world. It was an interesting experience.

Soon 2 Retire, babes? Well, let me tell you - when you retire, avoid mud racing - these gals will run you under. You can meet them May 7th at the Leona Valley Winery.

[Sixgun]

I've been called "vulgar" a few times. All along I thought people were patronizing me, but now I know that they wanted me to know that I was just not "royal" enough to be in their company.

OS,--I knew sooner or later you would come through with the pics---but no indentations this time?------------------Sixgun

[Old Savage]

Six - don't know if I have any new ones but ... probably did not use this one so - JUST FOR U round eyes at the Asian wedding.

[C. Cash]

I'm not sure of the history of the phrase, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that most people who use it nowadays are trying to avoid acknowledging that instant in time that B.C. and A.D. are referring to. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,.."

OS....very interesting Sir. Whatever the origin of B.C.E. "Before Common Era" that they use nowadays, I believe Mav is on it. They went back to referring to the Common Era to keep Jesus Christ out of the deal, same as when they write history for school text.

It looks to me, after having studied what is out there, that Jesus was born 2-1 B.C., with Herod dying around 1 B.C. Supposedly all early Josephus copies relate these years, rather than the much accepted 4 B.C. If you get the chance, give this website a go:
http://www.bethlehemstar.net

When you plug in these years to modern astronomy software, there was a triple conjuction of Jupiter(King Planet) around Regulus(King Star), a triple halo created by retrograde motion which would have been exceedingly rare, and soon after Jupiter(King Planet) came in conjuction with Venus(mother planet), creating the Christmas star that they show in all the planatariums. The latter two stacked on top of each other, but appeared as one, giving off the brightest star ever witnessed. It all works mathmatically and it appears, historically.

[Sixgun]

OS---Oh Lordy!! A double indentation!!!! ------------You old snake you -----------Sixgun

[cshold]

O.S., where are the babes?
Bob in NE Indiana

I think I done figured out how he get's some of those pictures...

[mklwhite]

I always liked stardate, but sometimes even that can be a bit ambiguous.