x: God is the omnipotent Creator of all things.

y: God is omnibenevolent.

z: Evil exists.

z': God being responsible for all that exists, the evil there is is less than what would be expected of God.

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1. Dualism. (denies x)

2. Limited deity. (denies x)

3. Creationist prudence. (denies y)

4. Negative theology. (denies y through skepticism of meaning: God's motives for creation as inscrutable)

5. Best of all possible worlds: aesthetic version. (denies z)

6. Best of all possible worlds: versions postulating tough restrictions on the creation of any world whatsoever. (denies z')

7. Parallel worlds defense. (denies z')

8. Free will defense. (denies z')

9. Heilsgeschichte: instrumentality of evil defense. (denies z')