Using CE -- either as &quot;Common Era&quot; or &quot;Christian Era&quot; -- dating from the same origin date as A.D. (and as a synonym for A.D.) is just as much of a Christian-origin and Christian-centric system as A.D., and is several hundred years old.<p>The idea that it is somehow more &quot;neutral&quot; and appropriate for academic when compared to A.D. is a fairly recent idea that ignores the history, origin, basis, and meaning (which directly holds Christianity as the norm) of the label.