1. a defense of God’s goodness and omnipotence in view of the existence of evil
Usage: theology; philosophy

Examples

• The philosopher wrote a lengthy theodicy attempting to explain why a benevolent God permits suffering.
• Augustine’s theodicy argued that evil results from human free will rather than divine creation.
• The problem of theodicy has challenged religious thinkers for centuries.
• Her theodicy focused on the idea that suffering serves a greater purpose in God’s plan.
• The book of Job is often cited as an early example of theodicy in literature.
• Modern theodicy must address questions raised by natural disasters and human cruelty.