The Christian myth can be studied as any other myth is studied. It can be evaluated for its proposal of ways to solve social problems, construct sane societies, and symbolize human values. The gospel can be discussed as an enculturating mythology, and the question of its influence in American culture can be pursued without the constant interruption of questions and claims about the historical truth of unique events.
This can best be done by first assessing the current set of Atheist myths that spring from the assumption that scientific theories are absolute truths when in fact they are models of reality. We have new unrecognized myths, like the Big Bang, Particle theories, the nature of light and energy. We pretend to understand these thaings because we have predictive models to represent them. They are mythological entities.
We need to build a new story that is consistent with our modern understanding of Reality/God
