Word of the day: Theodicy

I am reading "God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question" by religious studies professor Bart D. Ehrman.

He explains how the Bible explains human suffering, why he finds the explanations unconvincing, and why he gave up on being a Christian. The book's central question is if there is an all-powerful and loving God in this world, why is there so much excruciating pain and unspeakable suffering?

I thought of this question this week while watching Hurricane Ike coverage. Hence, the Word of the Day. Theodicy is a branch of theology concerned with the "problem of evil."

Theodicy:

The defense of God's goodness, justice and omnipotence in the face of the existence of evil