I believe in the historical Jesus, and I reject the assertion that worked over near-Eastern mythology is the "kernel" of Christianity.
The kernel of Christianity is the Word enunciated in the Sermon of the Mount - particularly the Two Great Commandments. Frankly, the question of the existence of historical Jesus is in one sense not relevant to the truth of Christian Doctrine. Whoever enunciated the Word given in the Sermon on the Mount - and elsewhere in the four Gospels - laid down a law that is not seen in any other tradition or in any mythology.
The attack on the historicity of Jesus is nothing but a proxy attack on the validity of Christianity. And look where that attack has taken our society! To the brink of ruin.
"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"
Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)