apologetics

About 0.35 uses per million words.

Meaning

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

Similar words

excusatory contrite justificative justificatory self-deprecating defensive repentant counter-apologetics dogmatics sophistry

Often followed by

and of in for is to that as or