Dr. Melodie Eichbauer is a professor of legal and medieval history. Her research demonstrates that the normative moral principles which govern the conduct of individuals, communities and professions are subject to debate, reflection, refinement and revision as new circumstances arise; and, that the exercise of power is what causes these principles to change.

In this discussion, Dr. Eichbauer draws on well-known historical case studies, such as Prince John’s conflict with the English nobility in the early thirteenth century, resulting in the Magna Carta; and King Henry VIII’s conflict with the papacy in the sixteenth century, resulting in the formation of the Church of England, to show how ethics changed during periods of intense political conflict. These historical examples offer a window into the challenges faced currently.

Dr. Melodie Eichbauer Professor of Medieval History and the Co-Director, Gulf Scholars Program Florida Gulf Coast University

Dr. Eichbauer is Professor of Medieval History and the Co-Director of the Gulf Scholars Program at Florida Gulf Coast University. Her research specializes in legal and ecclesiastical history from c.1000 to c.1500, and focuses in particular on legal pluralism and the evolution of legal principles. Dr. Eichbauer has authored articles in legal history journals and has published several books, including most recently Law in a Culture of Theology: The Use of Canon Law by Theologians at the University of Paris in the Twelfth Century. (Routledge, 2025.)