Tradition, Stability, and Global Use
Introduction
In the previous articles, we examined the historical evidence suggesting that Jesus was likely born between 6 BC and 4 BC. If this is correct, then the calendar that places the birth of Jesus at AD 1 is slightly inaccurate.
This raises an interesting question: why was the calendar never corrected?
If scholars discovered that the birth of Jesus probably occurred earlier, one might expect the numbering of years to change. Yet the BC/AD system remains in use today. Understanding why requires looking at the historical development of the calendar and the practical challenges involved in changing it.
The Spread of the AD Calendar
The dating system introduced by Dionysius Exiguus did not immediately become universal. It spread gradually over several centuries.
One of the most important figures in this process was the English historian and theologian Bede. In his historical writings, Bede used the AD system consistently when describing events in world history.
Because Bede’s works became widely influential in medieval Europe, the AD system gradually became the standard method of dating historical events.
The Problem of Changing the Calendar
By the time scholars began questioning the exact year of Jesus’ birth, the AD calendar had already become deeply established across Europe.
Changing the system would have created enormous difficulties. Historical documents, legal records, church calendars, and government systems all depended on the existing numbering of years.
If the calendar had been corrected by shifting the birth of Jesus several years earlier, every recorded date would have required adjustment. Such a change would have caused confusion in historical scholarship, legal records, and administrative systems.
For this reason, the existing structure of the calendar remained unchanged (Richards, 2013).
The Gregorian Calendar
Another important development occurred in the sixteenth century with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. This reform was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII.
The Gregorian reform adjusted the length of the year to correct errors that had accumulated in the earlier Julian calendar. However, it did not change the numbering of years.
As a result, the BC/AD system continued unchanged even though the precise year of Jesus’ birth remained uncertain.
Modern Terminology: BCE and CE
In modern academic writing, historians often use the terms BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) instead of BC and AD.
These terms use exactly the same numbering of years. For example:
- 500 BC is the same as 500 BCE
- AD 2026 is the same as 2026 CE
The difference is simply in terminology. BCE and CE are often used in academic contexts to provide a neutral naming convention for the same calendar system (Blackburn and Holford-Strevens, 1999).
Why the Calendar Still Works
Although the original calculation may have been off by a few years, the BC/AD system continues to function effectively as a chronological framework.
The purpose of a calendar is to provide a consistent method of organising historical time. Because the system has remained stable for centuries, historians can easily compare dates and events across different periods.
Correcting the numbering of years would create far more confusion than leaving the system as it is.
Conclusion
The calendar used across much of the world today was designed to place the birth of Jesus at the centre of history. Although modern research suggests that Jesus was probably born a few years earlier than AD 1, the system has remained unchanged because of its long-standing use in historical, legal, and cultural records.
Rather than attempting to renumber all of history, scholars simply recognise that the birth of Jesus likely occurred several years before the beginning of the AD era.
In the final article of this series, we will reflect on what truly matters in this discussion: the historical significance of Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection.
References
Blackburn, B. and Holford-Strevens, L., 1999. The Oxford Companion to the Year: An Exploration of Calendar Customs and Time-Reckoning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Richards, E.G., 2013. Mapping Time: The Calendar and Its History. Oxford: Oxford University Press.