"It isn't enough to have the right sentiments," he said. "It isn't even enough to have the right scripture. You have to have the right argument, because you will face those who think nothing of your scripture. You cannot win an argument by waving a book at someone. You understand that. You must prepare yourselves."

Young Christians should be able to explain that religion is not at war with science, he added.

"The Christian religion gave birth to the modern university. It was within the framework of the modern university that the scientific agenda was set and prosecuted. If you take the history of Christianity out of the history of science and out of the history of thought, the only thing you've got left is some manuals on mining."

BYU students should be able, as Romney attempted last week, to show that the idea of a separation between church and state does not banish religion from the public square, he said.

Robinson pointed out that separation doctrine was introduced in a letter penned by Thomas Jefferson, not in the Constitution itself, and that six states had state religions when the Constitution was ratified.

"It was never understood that the separation between church and state was the sort of separation you get in a divorce proceeding," he said. " ... It was the protection of religion, not an immunization against it."

The white-haired septuagenarian looked the part of a Hollywood version of an Oxford don, but he warned students against thinking technology will help them. He prescribed rigorous study and thought.

"You see, there isn't a movie that's going to help you with this," Robinson said. "It will be books, and more books, cherished books, filtered wisdom, sympathetic reading, critical reading, rehearsing, thinking about it again, then thinking about it again and then, thinking about it again, and articulating a position that's tight."

"It won't be easy," he added. "It'll be great, joyous fun, though."

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com