theodicy

[thee-od-uh-see]

noun, plural the·od·i·cies.

a vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing the existence of physical and moral evil.

Origin of theodicy

1790–1800; theo- + Greek dík(ē) justice + -y3, modeled on French théodicée, a coinage of Leibniz

Related formsthe·od·i·ce·an, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for theodicy

Contemporary Examples of theodicy

This is the religious exercise known as theodicy: explaining why God allows bad things to happen to good people.
Liberian Pastors Blame Ebola on Gays, The Right Blames Obama
Jay Michaelson
October 27, 2014

Historical Examples of theodicy

No theology, no theodicy, has ever attributed to God this title.
Charles Sumner; his complete works, volume 1 (of 20)
Charles Sumner
The work nevertheless appeared in 1710 as the Essays in Theodicy.
Theodicy
G. W. Leibniz
And so, to his own and the succeeding generation, Leibniz was known as the author of the Theodicy.
Theodicy
G. W. Leibniz
This is particularly so in the Theodicy, as its many citations of theologians suggest.
Theodicy
G. W. Leibniz
His theodicy is narrow; shallow, as was the philosophy of his age.
Literary and General Lectures and Essays
Charles Kingsley

British Dictionary definitions for theodicy

theodicy

noun plural -cies

the branch of theology concerned with defending the attributes of God against objections resulting from physical and moral evil

Derived Formstheodicean, adjective

Word Origin for theodicy

C18: coined by Leibnitz in French as théodicée, from theo- + Greek dikē justice

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for theodicy

1799, from French théodicée, title of a work by Leibniz, from Greek theos "god" (see Thea) + dike "judgment, justice, usage, custom" (cognate with Latin dicere "to show, tell;" see diction).