Hans Behem's religious practices and beliefs

Abstract

While Hans Behem's religious practices and beliefs oppose those of the Council of Trent, these same practices and beliefs can be related to those of John Calvin. The major beliefs and practices which the Council of Trent could argue against and Calvinists could support are social ranks, the use of indulgences, and the belief in purgatory. Although Behem and Calvin relate to each other in terms of their practices and beliefs on these three subjects, they are not completely the same. On the other hand, the Catholic Reformers who participated in the Council of Trent can not relate to any of Behem's practices and beliefs.

Hans Behem's life as a peasant changed from being a street musician to a preacher overnight. It is believed that Behem had a vision of the Virgin Mary who told him to burn his drum in order to start a life of preaching the word of the Mother of God. It is written in Peasant Fires that the first thing the Virgin Mary told him to preach when he saw this vision was that everyone was equal in society.