Schools across the UK have ditched referring to Jesus Christ in religious education lessons so as not to offend non-Christians.
The traditional terms BC, Before Christ, and AD, Anno Domini, are being replaced with BCE – Before Common Era, and CE – Common Era.
Daily Mail reports: Local authority committees drawing up religious education syllabuses say the old terms may upset minorities or non-believers. But critics blasted the move as a ‘capitulation to political correctness’.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey said the rulings by the religious education committees were a ‘great shame’.
Muslim and Jewish leaders were also mystified, saying they were not offended by the familiar terms.
Local authority committees – known as Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs) – from Brighton and Essex are among a growing number urging heads to ditch BC and AD.
The syllabus for schools in East Sussex, for example, reads: ‘BCE and CE are now used in order to show sensitivity to those who are not Christians.’
Lord Carey said: ‘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.’ A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: ‘I don’t think anyone would mind if in mainstream schools they use BC and AD.’
Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: removing BC and AD ‘is a capitulation to political correctness’.
National Association of Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education chair Paul Smalley said: ‘Individual SACREs and schools can make a judgment over which form of dating is appropriate.’