What is the term for the scholarly discipline within Islamic theology addressing rational, philosophical defense and articulation of Islamic beliefs?

Explanation

– Kalam refers to the scholarly discipline within Islamic theology addressing rational and philosophical defense and articulation of Islamic beliefs, particularly in response to various philosophical and theological challenges.
– This field developed significantly during the early centuries of Islamic scholarship, engaging with complex questions arising from contact with various other philosophical and religious traditions.
– For exams, note that various schools of thought developed within this broader field of Kalam, each adopting somewhat different methodological approaches to these theological questions.