[Old Student]

No, I think they are using commonly accepted scholarly language. Which WAS created by people who wanted to take Christ out of it, but which is intended to be acceptable to those who do not accept Christ as either a historical or religious figure. Many of the folks who do the digging in Israel are Jews. Many of them are Arabs. They don't like the idea of using each other's systems of dating, either. Before the Common Era is acceptable to both, and most others, as well. Some of the arguements over the more controversial Christian relics are also argued with dates in the same system. By all sides in the debate, no less.

[blam]

Hadn't considered that, thanks.

[William Terrell]

When did the use of "CE" and "BCE" come into to use? I never read anything using those terms before the last decade of the 20th century.

When "CE" is used, it refers to after the birth of Christ and "BCE" before the birth of Christ. The refusal to use "BC" and "AD" is a terminology issue only, not having anything to do with realtime dating. It appears to be consistent with the PC movement to marginalize Christianity.