ORLANDO, Fla. — Reformed Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that Dr. Zachary J. Cole has been promoted from Associate Professor of New Testament to Professor of New Testament, effective June 1, 2026.
Dr. Cole has served on the faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) Orlando since 2021, teaching core courses in Biblical Greek and New Testament. Throughout his tenure, he has been committed to forming students who can read the New Testament in its original language and bring the fruit of careful exegesis to the work of pastoral ministry.
“Dr. Cole is a meticulous scholar and a gifted teacher,” said Robert Cara, Provost and Chief Academic Officer of RTS. “His command of New Testament textual criticism and Greek manuscript studies brings real depth to the classroom, and his pastoral instincts ensure that rigorous scholarship serves the church. This promotion recognizes his significant academic contributions and his dedication to preparing students for faithful ministry.”
Prior to joining RTS, Dr. Cole taught for five years at a Presbyterian seminary in Belfast, Northern Ireland. An ordained minister with years of pastoral experience, he is particularly committed to helping students translate exegetical skill into faithful preaching and ministry.
“Zach Cole is an exceptional New Testament scholar with a deep love for the church,” said Scott Swain, President of RTS Orlando. “His careful work on the text of the New Testament and the world of early Christian manuscripts has earned him a strong international reputation, and his teaching here at RTS Orlando is shaping a new generation of pastors and scholars in the Reformed tradition.”
Dr. Cole’s research interests include New Testament textual criticism, early Christian manuscripts, New Testament exegesis, and the letters of Paul. He is the author of Numerals in Early Greek New Testament: Text-Critical, Scribal, and Theological Studies (Brill, 2017), published in the New Testament Tools, Studies, and Documents series, and has contributed to volumes including Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism (IVP Academic, 2019). His articles have appeared in journals including the Journal of Theological Studies, Journal of Biblical Literature, New Testament Studies, the Journal for the Study of the New Testament, and TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism.
Dr. Cole earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Palm Beach Atlantic University, a Master of Theology (Th.M.) from Dallas Theological Seminary, a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching (PGCHET) from Queen’s University, Belfast.
Known for his careful scholarship, classroom rigor, and pastoral concern for his students, Dr. Cole continues to serve the church through teaching, writing, and the formation of future pastors and ministry leaders. He and his wife, Kayla, live in Oviedo, Florida, with their three daughters.