In Memory of Hershel Shanks
The Biblical Archaeology Society remembers the life and achievements of Biblical Archaeology Review’s founder and Editor Emeritus, Hershel Shanks, who passed away February 5, 2021 at the age of 90.
In 1974, Hershel envisioned BAR, creating a modest publication that reflected his deep personal interest in the biblical past. Over the following four decades, until his retirement in 2017, he transformed BAR into the world’s best-selling and most widely read biblical archaeology magazine, enjoyed by millions. He was firmly committed to making the latest archaeological discoveries—and scholarly controversies—accessible to the broader public, through well-written, beautifully presented, and engaging content that brought the biblical world to life. BAS is honored to carry on the tremendous legacy left to us by our friend, colleague, and mentor, Hershel Shanks.
Hershel Shanks: March 8, 1930—Feb 5, 2021
We have collected tributes from Hershel’s family and close friends, current and former BAS staff members, and scholars and colleagues from across the world. Please enjoy these memories and celebrate Hershel’s contributions to the fields of biblical archaeology and biblical studies. We also invite you to leave your own remembrances of Hershel’s life and legacy in the comments section below.
Additionally, you can read his obituaries (which may be behind paywalls) in The Washington Post and The New York Times.
“My Companion”
Judith Shanks
Hershel’s wife
“A Father and a Colleague”
Elizabeth Alexander
Hershel’s daughter
“A Healthy Dose of Mischief”
Julia Shanks
Hershel’s daughter
BAS Staff, Contributors, and Associates
“In the Giant’s Shadow”
Susan Laden
BAS, Publisher & President
“A Hero to His Readers”
John Merrill
BAS, Chairman Emeritus & Contributing Editor
“Even Before There Was BAR”
Suzanne Singer
BAR, Contributing Editor & Former Managing Editor
“Breathing Biblical Archaeology”
Janet Bowman
BAS, Administrative Assistant
“A Showstopping Act”
Robert R. Cargill
BAR, former Editor
“An Unexpected Mentor”
Glenn J. Corbett
BAR, Editor
“Lessons of the Red Pen”
Marek Dospěl
BAR, Associate Editor
“Sweet Memories”
Jennifer Drummond
BAS, Circulation Manager
“Challenging Norms”
Steve Feldman
BAR, former Managing Editor
“Expanding Knowledge of the Bible”
Janice Krause
BAS, former Travel/Study Manager
“Making the Arcane Accessible”
Molly Dewsnap Meinhardt
Bible Review, former Managing Editor
“An Armchair Adventure”
Heather Witte Metzger
BAS, Production Manager
“Enthusiastic Doer”
Bonnie Mullin
BAR, former Administrative Editor
“The Lone Red Pen”
Robin Ngo
BAS, former Web Editor
“Learning from a Legend”
Megan Sauter
BAR, Managing Editor
“My Longest Client”
Robert Sugar
AURAS Design, Inc.
“A World Without Hershel”
Ellen White
BAR, former Senior Editor
“Interesting and Interested”
Sarah K. Yeomans
BAS, Contributing Editor & former Educational Programs Director
Scholars and Colleagues
Note: These tributes originally appeared in Festschrift: A Celebration of Hershel Shanks, the special double issue of Biblical Archaeology Review that was published in 2018 on occasion of Hershel’s retirement as Editor of BAR.
“A Man for the People”
Christopher Rollston
The George Washington University
“Born in Our Living Room”
Eric and Carol Meyers
Duke University
“Larger than Life”
Eric H. Cline
The George Washington University
“The Archaeological Evangelist”
Amy-Jill Levine
Vanderbilt University
“The Face of BAR”
André Lemaire
École Pratique des Hautes Études at the Sorbonne University
“Scaling Ivory Towers”
Alan Millard
University of Liverpool
“Unwavering and Obstreperous”
William G. Dever
University of Arizona
Hershel Shanks founded the Biblical Archaeology Society in 1974 and published the first issue of Biblical Archaeology Review in 1975. He served as the editor of BAR until his retirement in 2017. In the very first issue, Hershel wrote, “The aim of The Biblical Archaeology Review is to make available in understandable language the current insights of professional archaeology as they relate to the Bible.” In his 43 years as editor, he did not deviate from this mission.
Hershel’s family requests that donations in memory of Hershel be made to the Biblical Archaeology Society.
Please share your memories of Hershel in the comments section below.
I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Hershel Shanks. I first came across BAR in the late 1980’s as I was endeavoring to understand the greater context of the Bible. Through his work and his efforts my life has been enriched, enlightened, and I’ve become more knowledgeable. Often in conversations or classes. I mention something found in the pages of BAR to which the common reply has been, “where did you find that?” Well, Mr. Shanks’ vision has been fulfilled in my life and I will be forever grateful.
To the family I send my condolences, my thoughts, and my prayers. May the One who creates peace bring peace to you in this time. May Hershel Shanks’ name and memory be a blessing, now and in the days to come,
Even though I never had the pleasure of meeting Hershel, I feel his loss keenly. Those of us who love biblical archaeology owe him a great debt. He made archaeology accessible to the common person. He was a fighter for what he believed in and he felt like a friend as he communicated through his editorials and articles. He will be greatly missed. My prayers are with his family and friends.
Mr. Shanks will be missed. He meant a lot to me and I regret his passing, but celebrate his being home with the Lord. We shall encounter him again. Blessings. He ran a good course
My spouse put me in touch with BAR through her university studies of religion. I have enjoyed the publication and Hershel’s editorials for some years. He will be missed!
I’m sorry to read of Mr. Shanks’ passing. I will always be appreciated of his creation of BAR that gave me a peek into the world of biblical archaeology. It had been a high school dream to become an archaeologist that apparently wasn’t o be, but the knowledge has been impactful in my ministry to children in my local church. Thankful for the legacy he leaves and prayerful for his family and friends.
He was a man before his time and saw biblical archaeology with an interest beyond the trained scholars.
i am an average non-scholar reader of Biblical Archaeology Review. Hershel Shanks is one of my heroes. I don’t rememv=ber exactly when I started reading BAR (or Bible Review, during its existence), but I was hooked from the start. I obviously had an existing interest in Biblical studies, but BAR whetted my appetite for more. I look forward to the magazine’s arrival with keen anticipation- and use the BAS website frequently. Just about everything I know about the Bible derives from the Review, the website, and the refernces they have provided to other expert authors, scholars, articles, and books.
We’ve been taking BAR since 1978. He seems as a family member. May YAHWEH be with him at the Resurrection.
Hershel Shanks (1930-2021) a pioneer in bringing archaeology to the public. May we honor his memory and may God comfort his family and friends and all who mourn his passing.
Honor to those who deserve the honor, and Mr. Shanks’ legacy BAR and BR, deserve to be honored. My condolences to his family and to BAR team.