polemic

polemic
    adj 1: of or involving dispute or controversy [syn: {polemic},
           {polemical}]
    n 1: a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in
         theology) [syn: {polemicist}, {polemist}, {polemic}]
    2: a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma)
    

Polemic \Po*lem"ic\, a. [Gr. ? warlike, fr.? war: cf. F.
   pol['e]mique.]
   1. Of or pertaining to controversy; maintaining, or
      involving, controversy; controversial; disputative; as, a
      polemic discourse or essay; polemic theology.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Engaged in, or addicted to, polemics, or to controversy;
      disputations; as, a polemic writer. --South.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Polemic \Po*lem"ic\, n.
   1. One who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or
      system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics;
      a controversialist; a disputant.
      [1913 Webster]

            The sarcasms and invectives of the young polemic.
                                                  --Macaulay.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A polemic argument or controversy.
      [1913 Webster]
    

88 Moby Thesaurus words for "polemic":
      Kilkenny cats, Philadelphia lawyer, altercation, apologetics,
      apologia, apologist, apology, arguer, argufier, argument,
      argumentation, bicker, bickering, blood feud, brawl, broil,
      casuist, casuistry, cat-and-dog life, combat, conflict, contention,
      contentiousness, contest, contestation, controversialist,
      controversy, cut and thrust, debate, debater, defense, disceptator,
      disputant, disputation, dispute, donnybrook, donnybrook fair,
      embroilment, enmity, feud, fight, fighting, fliting, flyting,
      fracas, fuss, guardhouse lawyer, hassle, hostility, hubbub,
      imbroglio, litigation, logomacher, logomachist, logomachy, mooter,
      open quarrel, paper war, passage of arms, pilpulist, polemicist,
      polemics, polemist, quarrel, quarreling, quarrelsomeness, rhubarb,
      scrapping, set-to, sharp words, slanging match, snarl, spat,
      squabble, squabbling, strife, struggle, tiff, tussle, vendetta,
      verbal engagement, war, war of words, warfare, words, wrangle,
      wrangler, wrangling