William A. Beardslee was born in 1916 at Holland, Michigan. He was educated at Harvard, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, where he obtained a BD in 1941, and at Union Theological Seminary, where he studied on a part-time basis while he was in the ministry. He became a PhD of the University of Chicago in 1951. Dr. Beardslee was a minister of the Reformed Church in America. He was Assistant Professor of Bible (1947-1952) and Associate Professor of Bible (1956-1956) at Emory University. He has written a number of articles and reviews and served as Associate Editor of the Journal of Bible and Religion. He authored (with E. H. Rece) of Reading the Bible: A Guide.