This article examines Christian mysticism in the sixteenth century through translations of key mystical terms from Johannes Altenstaig's theological dictionary, the Vocabularius theologiae (1517). The introduction outlines Altenstaig's life and his dictionary, emphasizing the importance of compilations, especially those for students, in understanding mystical theology just before the Reformation. The translation notes analyze Altenstaig's sources, indicating he often relied on recent compilations rather than original classical texts.
The Virgin Mary appears as a spiritual teacher in Mechthild of Magdeburg's thirteenth-century mystical text The Flowing Light of the Godhead, actively guiding the narrator into higher forms of mystical life. While Mary was a common figure in late medieval religious writing, Mechthild adapts traditional Marian roles to support her own contemplative ideals, making Mary a model for religious experience that authorizes and sanctions Mechthild's vision of the mystical life.