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I agree with the answer by Bloodcinder that actions, and reactions and even bonus actions seem to be different kinds of things in 5e and hence no, you cannot cast reaction spells as actions.

In the original DMG, there was a way to cast reaction spells as actions: you could write them into scrolls and read them (quoting from page 200):

If the spell is on your class's spell list you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components.

However this was rewritten in the DMG errata to read:

Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell’s normal casting time.

Finally, for the specific spell Shield, there is still a way to cast it as an action; through the use of the Staff of Defense. This was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford, the lead 5e rules designer, in a tweet:

That staff does, indeed, let you cast shield as an action. A DM could also allow casting the spell as a reaction.

I agree with the answer by Bloodcinder that actions, and reactions and even bonus actions seem to be different kinds of things in 5e and hence no, you cannot cast reaction spells as actions.

In the original printing of the DMG, there was a way to cast reaction spells as actions: you could write them into scrolls and read them (quoting from page 200):

If the spell is on your class's spell list you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components.

However this was rewritten in the DMG errata to read:

Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell’s normal casting time.

Finally, for the specific spell Shield, there is still a way to cast it as an action; through the use of the Staff of Defense. This was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford, the lead 5e rules designer, in a tweet:

That staff does, indeed, let you cast shield as an action. A DM could also allow casting the spell as a reaction.

I agree with the answer by Bloodcinder that actions, and reactions and even bonus actions seem to be different kinds of things in 5e and hence no, you cannot cast reaction spells as actions.

In the original DMG, there was a way to cast reaction spells as actions: you could write them into scrolls and read them (quoting from page 200):

If the spell is on your class's spell list you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components.

However this was rewritten in the DMG errata to read:

Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell’s normal casting time.

Finally, for the specific spell Shield, there is still a way to cast it as an action; through the use of the Staff of Defense. This was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford, the lead 5e rules designer, in a tweet:

That staff does, indeed, let you cast shield as an action. A DM could also allow casting the spell as a reaction.

I agree with the answer by Bloodcinder that actions, and reactions and even bonus actions seem to be different kinds of things in 5e and hence no, you cannot cast reaction spells as actions.

In the original DMG, there was a way to cast reaction spells as actions: you could write them into scrolls and read them (quoting from page 200):

If the spell is on your class's spell list you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components.

However this was rewritten in the DMG errata to read:

Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell’s normal casting time.

Finally, for the specific spell Shield, there is still a way to cast it as an action; through the use of the Staff of Defense. This was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford, the lead 5e rules designer, in a tweet:

That staff does, indeed, let you cast shield as an action. A DM could also allow casting the spell as a reaction.

I agree with the answer by Bloodcinder that actions, and reactions and even bonus actions seem to be different kinds of things in 5e and hence no, you cannot cast reaction spells as actions.

In the original DMG, there was a way to cast reaction spells as actions: you could write them into scrolls and read them (quoting from page 200):

If the spell is on your class's spelllist you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components.

However this was rewritten in the DMG errata to read:

Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell’s normal casting time.

Finally, for the specific spell Shield, there is still a way to cast it as an action; through the use of the Staff of Defense. This was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford, the lead 5e rules designer, in a tweet:

That staff does, indeed, let you cast shield as an action. A DM could also allow casting the spell as a reaction.

I agree with the answer by Bloodcinder that actions, and reactions and even bonus actions seem to be different kinds of things in 5e and hence no, you cannot cast reaction spells as actions.

In the original DMG, there was a way to cast reaction spells as actions: you could write them into scrolls and read them (quoting from page 200):

If the spell is on your class's spell list you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components.

However this was rewritten in the DMG errata to read:

Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell’s normal casting time.

Finally, for the specific spell Shield, there is still a way to cast it as an action; through the use of the Staff of Defense. This was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford, the lead 5e rules designer, in a tweet:

That staff does, indeed, let you cast shield as an action. A DM could also allow casting the spell as a reaction.