Michael Vehe

Born at Bieberach near Wimpfen; died at Halle, April, 1559. He joined the Dominicans at Wimpfen, and was sent to Heidelberg in 1506, where he taught in 1512 and received the doctorate in theology in 1513. In 1515 he was appointed regent of the Dominican house of studies at Heidelberg; later Cardinal Albert of Mainz chose him as theologian and put him in charge of the Church of Halle, Saxony. He was summoned to Augsburg (1530) to refute the Lutheran Confession of Faith and took a prominent part in a debate against the Lutherans in 1534, at Leipzig. He wrote: "Von dem Gesatz der Niessung des h. hochw. Sacraments" (Leipzig, 1531), and "Errettung der beschuldigten kelchdieb" (Leipzig, 1535) on Communion under one species ; "Wie unterschieldlicher wiess Gott und seine heiligen sollen geehret werden" (Leipzig, 1532), a treatise on the veneration of the saints ; "Assertio sacrorum quorumdam axiomatum" (Leipzig, 1537), on the point controverted by the Reformers ; these writings are the best apologetical treatises that appeared in Germany during the sixteenth century. Vehe also published "Ein neue Gesangbuchlein" (Leipzig, 1537; Hanover, 1853), a collection of hymns. He was called to the bishopric of Halberstadt, 21 Feb., 1559.