apologetics
noun
apol·o·get·ics ə-ˌpä-lə-ˈje-tiks 
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
1
: systematic argumentative discourse (see discourse entry 1 sense 2a) in defense (as of a doctrine)
2
: a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The institute offers courses, lessons, and guidance on Catholic apologetics and evangelization. 
Fox News, 28 Aug. 2022 Stronger evidence of bad-faith, bad-history apologetics could hardly be imagined. James Oakes, The New York Review of Books, 12 May 2022 These numbers suggest that Republican members of Congress, candidates and commentators echoing Mr. Trump’s isolationism and Kremlin apologetics are out of sync with GOP voters. Karl Rove, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022 Grimaldi also has put his off-ice, away-from-home time to good use, working on his master’s degree in Christian apologetics from Biola University, a small private Christian university in La Mirada, California. Dave Kallmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2022 The answer is the same one that every Christian gets in his college dorm room when practicing apologetics on his roommate. Andy Martin, National Review, 10 Sep. 2021 Karamo has a master's degree in Christian apologetics, the study of the defense of Christianity against objections, from Biola University, an evangelical university in Southern California. Jeremy Herb, CNN, 16 Nov. 2021 But Feldman dismisses such arguments as apologetics. Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2021 There, she was influenced by the apologetics movement, which employs intellectual arguments and critical thinking to defend faith. Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2021 See More
Fox News, 28 Aug. 2022 Stronger evidence of bad-faith, bad-history apologetics could hardly be imagined. James Oakes, The New York Review of Books, 12 May 2022 These numbers suggest that Republican members of Congress, candidates and commentators echoing Mr. Trump’s isolationism and Kremlin apologetics are out of sync with GOP voters. Karl Rove, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022 Grimaldi also has put his off-ice, away-from-home time to good use, working on his master’s degree in Christian apologetics from Biola University, a small private Christian university in La Mirada, California. Dave Kallmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2022 The answer is the same one that every Christian gets in his college dorm room when practicing apologetics on his roommate. Andy Martin, National Review, 10 Sep. 2021 Karamo has a master's degree in Christian apologetics, the study of the defense of Christianity against objections, from Biola University, an evangelical university in Southern California. Jeremy Herb, CNN, 16 Nov. 2021 But Feldman dismisses such arguments as apologetics. Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2021 There, she was influenced by the apologetics movement, which employs intellectual arguments and critical thinking to defend faith. Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
apologet(ic) entry 1 or apologet(ic) entry 2 + -ics
First Known Use
circa 1733, in the meaning defined at sense 1