I feel that the compelling truth of Christianity is vision of a possible future that Jesus paints which consists of a different type of community (Kingdom of God).

The problem with this, to my mind, is that this ‘different type of community’ is not merely a future ideal. It has been in existence arguably since Abraham (whatever that means historically), and more importantly claims that its identity and nature were critically changed by events that took place at a certain point in history. It seems to me that as a historical (and no merely ideal) community we are bound to ask: What happened to us? How have we been shaped by that event? If we presuppose historical continuity, it seems rather weak-minded not to face up to questions of historical origins.