Romney's visit stirs debate at Christian university

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Mitt Romney, in a major test of his appeal to religious conservatives, delivered the commencement speech yesterday to the largest-ever graduating class at Regent University, the Christian school founded by televangelist Pat Robertson.

The university's selection of Romney, a Mormon, as this year's graduation speaker had generated a soul-searching debate in recent weeks on the 30-year-old evangelical campus, with some students objecting because of Mormonism's deep theological differences with mainline Christianity.

Those concerns, students said, prompted Robertson to meet with student government leaders and explain that he had invited Romney as a prominent American leader capable of delivering an appropriate message to graduates. Robertson also wrote a memo explaining his decision to faculty, students, and alumni.

Romney steered clear of his religion in yesterday's address, making only one oblique reference, which was not part of his prepared remarks: In thanking Robertson for the chance to speak, he noted that Robertson, during his own presidential bid in 1988, was willing to sacrifice to lead a religiously diverse nation.

"When he was running for president, he offered to leave this beautiful place, his home, to lead a people of many faiths," Romney said to more than 5,000 people gathered under an overcast sky. "Today he has invited one of those to come visit him in his home."

Appearing at Regent and other Christian institutions has become something of a requirement for Republican presidential candidates, whose success in GOP primaries still hinges in part on support from religious conservatives. Romney has made a concerted effort to reach out to the party's conservative base, partly to allay concerns about his religion and his record of moderate positions on social issues such as abortion.

There was little sign yesterday of the stir Romney's appearance had caused, though one graduate said she understood that some students did not attend graduation in protest. A spokeswoman for the school said she could not confirm that.

Several graduates praised Romney's speech, in which he encouraged them to stray from their comfort zones and pursue life's "deep waters," engaging unfamiliar ideas, beliefs, and people. Romney urged students to "reach beyond the shallows of selfishness and shape the character of your nation."

"The deep waters will be more rewarding and more exhilarating than you can possibly imagine," he said. "Come on in, the water's fine."

"I thought it was wonderful," said 25-year-old Eric McElroy, who earned a master's of divinity.

McElroy, who served in student government, said, however, that "it was a very big deal" when the university first revealed that Romney would be speaking. She said Robertson helped diffuse the situation by meeting with students and telling them, "He's a prominent leader in our society, and he should be able to come and share his thoughts on leadership."

Christie Moler, 36, who received a doctorate in psychology, said Romney was wise not to openly talk about his faith, which she said some would have interpreted as disrespectful. Though many Regent students are tolerant of Mormonism, she said, a family friend had this reaction upon learning that Romney would be at the podium: "I can't believe Pat's allowing that to happen."

Walter Wendler, who is finishing his second year at Regent's law school, said most at the school were surprised that Romney 's visit was an issue at all. "We're an educational institution as much as we're a religious institution," said Wendler, 30.

Romney's advisers acknowledge that his faith can pose a hurdle in courting evangelical voters, but they maintain that his religion should be immaterial, and they have tried to emphasize that he and evangelicals share more than they differ on. One of the advisers with Romney yesterday was Gary Marx, an activist from Virginia who is the campaign's "conservative coalitions director."

"What we've seen time and time again is, where does he stand on the issues?" said Marx, who holds a degree from Regent. "Does he share my values?"

Marx said the fact that Romney is getting opportunities like the Regent speech is a positive sign. "It says to us we're making progress," he said.

Yet there remains a gulf between Mormonism and mainline Christianity for many evangelicals. Several national and local polls have indicated that a significant portion of the electorate might be unlikely to vote for a Mormon candidate for president. And the website of Robertson's own Christian Broadcasting Network, on a page called "How to recognize a cult," says this about Mormons: "Mormons are some of the most exemplary human beings, especially in regard to their behavior patterns and their adherence to the fundamental values of our society. But their religious beliefs are, to put it simply, wrong."

In introducing Romney, Robertson called Romney an "outstanding American" but said little else about him beyond listing his accomplishments and background. The two men could be seen chatting onstage and were scheduled to dine together at a luncheon on campus after the ceremony.

Romney, his family, and his advisers are still debating whether he should give a speech similar to one John F. Kennedy gave in 1960, in which Kennedy made clear he would not be taking cues from the Catholic church if elected.

Charles W. Dunn, dean of Regent's school of government, said yesterday's speech was a "golden-plate opportunity" for Romney to demonstrate his character to the Regent community. One way Romney did that was by emphasizing repeatedly the importance of family, a device Romney often uses to remind voters of his long marriage to his wife, Ann, and his five sons.

Romney is not the only GOP presidential candidate negotiating a sensitive relationship with Christian conservatives. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has social positions -- he's supported abortion rights, for example -- that have alienated some on the right. And Arizona Senator John McCain, who during his 2000 presidential run famously denounced Christian leader Jerry Falwell as one of the "agents of intolerance," sought to make amends last year by giving the commencement address at Falwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

One Regent graduate with a unique perspective on Romney's appearance was Todd Fowler, 39, a Mormon from Utah who earned a master's in practical theology. Fowler said he had occasionally encountered anti-Mormon sentiment in school but that his overall experience there had been "fantastic." Fowler praised Romney for coming to an environment where he knew there would be "hard feelings," and he praised Robertson for having the courage to ask him.

"I applaud Pat for inviting him," he said. "Instead of picking someone everyone would like, he went a step beyond."

Scott Helman can be reached at shelman@globe.com.