Ponerology

In theology, ponerology (from Greek πονηρός ponērós, "evil") is the study of evil. Major subdivisions of the study are the nature of evil, the origin of evil, and evil in relation to the Divine Government.

Karl Immanuel Nitzsch outlined his System der christlichen Lehre (System of Christian Doctrine) into three major rubrics: Agathology, or the Doctrine of the Good; Ponerology, or the Doctrine of the Bad; and Soteriology, or the Doctrine of Salvation. He further subdivided ponerology into the topics of Sin and of Death.