Anno Domini 2007.... Gail Heriot

While listening to a Presbyterian minister give (an otherwise well-done) sermon about the Book of Ruth, I was surprised to hear him refer to the date as "B.C.E."  What ever happened to B.C.?  I'm told that B.C.E. can stand for "Before Christ's Era" rather than "Before the Common Era," but that strikes me as a lame effort to have it both ways.  The use of "B.C.E." has its place, but is the pulpit really one of them? 

(I noted that he did not flinch from using the word "Thursday" (i.e. "Thor's Day"); maybe he's a convert to Asatru....)