Short answer
There is no single answer. Christian traditions differ, and individual believers decide according to their church’s teaching and their own conscience. Some Christians study Kabbalah as a historical or literary subject, some are drawn to it devotionally, and many pastors and theologians advise caution or avoidance. This article lays out the main perspectives and does not give a religious ruling.
Why it is debated
Kabbalah is a Jewish mystical tradition, grounded in Jewish scripture, law and prayer. Christians who come to it usually raise two questions: whether its theology is compatible with Christian belief, and whether its practices are appropriate for a Christian. The answer depends on which parts are being discussed. Reading about Kabbalah’s history is different from adopting its meditative or magical techniques.
A history of Christian Kabbalah
Christians have been interested in Kabbalah for centuries. In the late 15th and 16th centuries, thinkers such as Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and Johannes Reuchlin studied Kabbalistic works and argued that they contained support for Christian teaching. This movement is called Christian Kabbalah. Later esoteric writers blended Kabbalah with Hermetic, alchemical and tarot symbolism, which is the source of much of what appears in the occult section of bookstores today.
Jewish Kabbalists did not accept the Christian readings, and historians note that Christian Kabbalah often differs a great deal from the Jewish tradition. For example, Christians might connect the three highest sefirot with the Trinity, but the Jewish tradition rejects that; see Chochmah and the Supernal Triad.
Common Christian objections
Without speaking for any denomination, the concerns often raised include:
- Theological differences. Kabbalah’s picture of God, creation and the soul differs from Christian doctrine in some areas. See Kabbalah Explained and Ein Sof in Kabbalah.
- Occult associations. Warnings in scripture about divination and sorcery lead some Christians to avoid anything that has magical elements.
- Reincarnation. Kabbalah’s teaching of gilgul (see Kabbalah Principles and Rules) conflicts with most Christian teaching about death and judgment.
- Commercial versions. Some who raise concerns have in mind commercial Kabbalah products and courses.
Jewish perspectives
Many Jewish teachers hold that Kabbalah belongs inside Jewish observance and are uneasy about non-Jews, or Jews without a grounding in the tradition, adopting it in a detached form. Others welcome sincere learners. See Is Kabbalah a Closed Practice? and Is Kabbalah accepted by all Jews?
Questions to ask yourself
- Is my interest historical, academic or devotional?
- What does my church or pastor teach about this?
- Am I reading Jewish sources, or a re-packaged version?
- Would I be comfortable explaining my practice to a Jewish teacher and to my own pastor?
If you belong to a church, speaking with your pastor or a trusted leader is a sensible step.