So what you are saying is that Jesus may or may not have really existed (most likely he was nothing but a reconstitutited fairy tale) but that when you do the sacraments you encounter the "risen Christ" (whatever that is)? Correct?
Since you obviously don't believe that the Bible is true in any literal sense, how is it that you supposedly encounter this "risen Christ" person "in the Word". You even capitalized "Word" as if it were some kind of holy reference. By "Word" you obviously don't mean that book of fables, the Bible, do you? What "Word" are you referencing?
I am confused. In essense it appears to me that you chalk Jesus up to being some metaphoric figure, yet you are supposedly a minister of the Christian Gospel. Does your congregation know your "feelings" on this?
BTW, where is the GRPL when you need them?
You are having fun attacking your strawmen, I see. Have at it.
Much of the Bible is written allegorically. Jesus spoke in parables because the people of that time were not equipped to deal with direct evidence.
The further back you go in the Bible, the more allegorical it becomes.
The Bible is a source of spiritual truth, not historical truth (lthough there are certainly many recordings of historical events obseved by the authors). Why are there so few (if any) artifacts from the time of Christ? Such an important even as His Life and Death should have many direct evidenciary artifacts.
IMHO, it is because Jesus wanted us to operate from Faith, not Facts.
That is why the Creationist myth belongs in theology/mythology and Evolution belongs in science.