William Tabbernee is ordained in the Churches of Christ in Australia, a denomination closely related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is also a minister with standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Before coming to PTS, Dr. Tabbernee served as principal of the Churches of Christ Theological College in Australia, among other scholarly and administrative positions in Australia.
Dr. Tabbernee has served as president of Phillips Theological Seminary since 1991. In addition, he teaches Church History, specializing in the history of Christianity up to the Reformation. He also co-directs an archaeological surface survey in Turkey, along with Professor Peter Lampe of the University of Heidelberg, Germany. This joint PTS/University of Heidelberg project is exploring the ancient sites of settlements associated with an early Christian movement named Montanism.
Dr. Tabbernee’s published works include Montanist Inscriptions and Testimonia: Epigraphic Sources Illustrating the History of Montanism (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1997) and Fake Prophecy and Polluted Sacraments: Ecclesiastical and Imperial Reactions to Montanism (Leiden: Brill, 2007); and Pepouza and Tymion: The Discovery and Archaeological Exploration of a Lost Ancient City and an Imperial Estate in Phrygia, written with Peter Lampe, (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2008).
Dr. Tabbernee is a past president of the North American Patristics Society. He is also actively involved in ecumenical and interfaith activities. He was a member of the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order for more than twenty years. He currently co-moderates the Disciples of Christ/Roman Catholic International Commission for Dialogue.