Why does so much Christian thinking have to do with the Kabala and Gnosticism?

Answer: The term Kabala derives from the Hebrew word for "historical tradition”. It describes a system of Jewish theosophy which, through the application of an esoteric method of interpreting the Old Testament, was believed to enable secret teachings to be conveyed to those who were initiated into the movement, for example, the creation of the world through the emanation of the divine being. These are developments of tendencies related to Gnosticism. They reached the zenith of their influence in the medieval period and during the Renaissance. During the 15th and 16th centuries, a Christian form of these teachings was comparatively popular and Reuchlin (1455-1522) and Paracelsus (1493-1541) are considered to be their most important representatives. It claims to be able to apply its specific methods and insights to explain the mysteries of the trinity, of redemption (salvation) and the divinity of Jesus Christ.

The teachings of the Catholic Church have always kept a firm distance from these views and tendencies.