A better apology:

Okay, I formally apologize for stating that Herb Titus wants to execute gays and adulterers. I was mistaken as to his status as a "Christian Reconstructionist" and his position on the proper civil punishment for sodomy and adultery.

In terms of his status as a "Christian Reconstructionist" Titus writes to me in an email:

"Had you read what I have written or listened to some of my lectures on audio tape or even what the one man who actually talked to me -- instead of forming your opinions solely on what others have said about my relationship with Dr. Rushdoony and Howard Phillips -- you would have discovered that I am not a "Christian Reconstructionist." See Bruce Barron's 1992 book, Heaven on Earth? at 23-66. But I suspect that you -- like many others -- are so quick to pass judgment on Bible believing Christians that you have committed the error of guilt by association."

In terms of Titus's views on the Bible and Capital punishment Titus wrote:

"I made my position clear - that no civil government -- other than the ancient state of Israel -- had been given any authority by God to impose the death penalty upon any person who had been duly convicted of sodomy, adultery, and other like "holiness" offenses. Additionally, I explained why Old Testament Israel was given such authority by God and why that authority no longer exists in any nation with the coming of Jesus Christ. I explained further how the death penalty authority for the crimes of adultery and sodomy was different from the death penalty authority with respect to conviction for murder which is rooted in the Noahic covenant binding on all nations even today. See Genesis 9:6."

See also the comments made to my last post by Ed Brayton and Jim Babka. As we have noted, Brayton and I think very alike. And before being corrected by Babka, Brayton was under the same misimpression that I was and the initial source of the error was also the same: Titus's termination by Pat Robertson as Dean of Regent's Law School.

Brayton writes:

"You [Babka] and I had a similar conversation about Titus, as did Perry Willis and I a few months ago, because I was under the same impression that Jon was. I had read quite some time ago that his departure from Regent University was because Robertson was trying to distance himself from the reconstructionists, in more than one source. I was quite surprised to find out that you and Perry were friends with him, but both of you told me that his views had been misrepresented and that he was much more libertarian than I might imagine. But prior to that, I would have written something very much like what Jon wrote and had every reason to believe it was justified and true."

And Titus informs me that Robertson and his allies at Regent are not credible sources and the spread of such misinformation by them resulted in lawsuits and confidential settlements.