What does "theodicy" aim to address?

Theodicy is a theological and philosophical concept that seeks to justify and explain why a benevolent and omnipotent God allows the existence of evil and suffering in the world. This inquiry is essential for reconciling the belief in a loving, just, and powerful deity with the observable reality of pain, injustice, and evil. It addresses profound questions regarding the nature of God’s goodness and power in a world that includes tremendous hardship and moral failings.

This focus on justifying God's goodness amidst the presence of evil is what distinguishes theodicy from other theological discussions. Understanding God’s omnipotence is a different philosophical pursuit related to God's power but does not specifically tackle the problem of evil. Proving God's existence is an entirely separate issue within philosophy and theology, rooted in different arguments and reasoning. Similarly, while natural disasters can be a source of suffering and entwine with discussions about evil, they are a subcategory rather than the specific focus of theodicy itself. Therefore, the aim of theodicy directly aligns with providing a rationale for the coexistence of divine goodness and the reality of evil.