Definition of "theodicy" [the•od•i•cy]

• A vindication of God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "I've always felt that one of his most important inquiries, into theodicy is revealing about the issues here, if one expands the term theodicy beyond the religious, and considers whether any contingent event such as the puritans' otherwise unexplainable good fortune can prompt a challenge of meaning."
• "Point 7, a passing reference to theodicy, is not specific to ID."
• "This question of suffering -- which theologians refer to as "theodicy" -- has, since the emergence of human consciousness, prompted many different theories and possible answers."