Acclaimed Seventh-day Adventist scholar William H. Shea died on February 15, 2020 in Manassas, Virginia. He was 87.
Dr. Shea was a medical doctor and surgeon as well as graduate of Harvard University and the University of Michigan. Dr. Shea published dozens of articles and books dealing with various topics ranging from ancient inscriptions to the meaning of Bible prophecy.
I first met Bill Shea at the 1995 ATS meeting in Philadelphia. His presentation on the book Daniel was riveting to me—easily one of three favorite presentations that weekend. My other favorite presenters were Philip Samaan, and Winfried Vogel.
Growing up with very little religious influence in his life, Bill accepted the divine inspiration of the Bible during his senior year of high school, finding in the Scriptures a Creator and Redeemer. As a Bible scholar later in life, he was a champion of the historical-grammatical method of Bible study. He wrote and lectured extensively in the field of biblical studies.
2012 Forward to Zion Camp Meeting
Bill and Karen Shea attended the 2012 Forward to Zion grassroots Camp meeting that was held at Denison University in Granville Ohio. His presentations on the book of Daniel were fascinating, accompanied by his lion stories. While we were eating lunch together on Thursday (June 28, 2012) my iPhone alerted me that the Supreme Court just upheld the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). I shared that news with Bill and Karen. They were both surprised and disappointed. Most of us were.
Bill Shea speaking at the 2012 Forward to Zion camp meeting in Ohio.
At this same meeting, Karen Shea saved me from a mildly embarrassing occurrence. As a speaker at this camp meeting, I purchased a new pair of pants in order to be presentable. Just before I went up on stage to speak, Karen told me to stop. I stopped. There was a sizable sales sticker on the rear of my pants, which she kindly removed for me. Thanks, Karen.
This 2012 camp meeting was notable for the tornado that blew threw Denison Campus on Friday, knocking down trees and power lines all around the campus. The entire college was out of power for the rest of the meeting, but we soldiered on. Those of us who could speak loudly did so without the benefit of a sound system or PowerPoint. The Lord added His blessing, as He did with our pioneers.
The winds of change & strife have continued to blow through our world and Church over the last eight years, and show no signs of letting up. I am pleased to say that the Holy Scriptures that Bill Shea loved, studied and presented with such eloquence remain the perfect anchor in a shaking world; they are “able to able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).
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“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them” (Revelation 14:13).