apologetics

noun

Etymology: From Late Latin apologia, from Ancient Greek ἀπολογία (apología, “a speech in defense”), from ἀπολογοῦμαι (apologoûmai, “I speak in one's defense”), from ἀπόλογος (apólogos, “an account, story”), from ἀπό (apó, “from, off”) (see apo-) + λόγος (lógos, “speech”) + -ics.

1. A systematic defense of a position, or of religious or occult doctrine.
2. A branch of theology devoted to such a defense of Christianity specifically.