The traditional term BC was replaced by BCE in the English translation of a July letter by Pope Francis on the role of literature in Christian formation.
Ann Widdecombe, a convert to the Catholic faith and a former Conservative Party minister, was among the Catholics all over the world who were angered by the
“If the Vatican is doing that then it is a complete betrayal,” said Miss Widdecombe.
“If the Vatican is removing the name of Christ from official documentation it’s a complete betrayal.”
The use of the secular term BCE comes in paragraph 12 of the letter, which refers to the address of St Paul before the Areopagus that was described in the Acts of the Apostles.
The paragraph reads: “This verse contains two quotations: one indirect, from the poet Epimenides (sixth century BCE), and the other direct, from the Phaenomena of the poet Aratus of Soli (third century BCE), who wrote of the constellations and the signs of good and bad weather.”
The document represents a major departure from the Church’s perspective of history, which it frames from the arrival of the Messiah.
The Church has always numbered years either “BC”, meaning “Before Christ”, or “AD” – Anno Domini, or in the year of Our Lord, to represent the era of the Church.
The term BCE was used from the 1800s by Jewish scholars who did not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah.
It has crept into popular usage with the increased secularism of Western societies and the rejection of any concept of God, and is often controversial.
BCE appears only in the English translation of the Pope’s letter. BC remains the preferred abbreviation for the translations into Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Arabic.