The popular debate among atheist's and skeptics is the Christ myth and the lack of historical evidence of such a person ever existing. I have listened to hours of lectures on this topic by scholars like Richard Carrier, Joe Atwill and Bart Ermahn who rebuts the myth theory(my least favorite).
My proposal is that the Gospels were and are an initiation script hence the name scripture followed by the Book of *Acts*. The process of initiation is theatrical, the candidate participates, and, secrets, mystery's and riddles are communicated to the candidate through the use of symbolism, historical and fictional characters, mathematical puzzles like Matthew 25 and the wise virgins etc.
It might go something like this- The candidate goes through the ritual symbolizing birth, coming into the lodge as a spiritual infant seeking light. This ritual is performed in a barn and the Frater who introduced him to the lodge plays the role of Joseph, perhaps his wife or a member of a similar sorority plays the role of Mary. The candidate must lay still naked in a manger while the members conduct the ritual. These types of rituals may require the candidate to memorize certain parts of the script or go into it knowing nothing and be required to recite parts revealed to him at the initiation.
The chapters of the Gospels represent degrees. For instance Matthew has 87 "degrees", the "Entered Apprentice" or infant degree would be chapters 1-19 then followed by the 2nd degree which is baptism by John. The baptist degree might be symbolic of adolescence.
These would be followed by gruesome horrific degrees that involve drinking bodily fluids while dressed in drag in the women at the well rite, saliva rubbed on the candidates eyes, mock hanging in the rite of Judas probably followed by a shunning from the members for a period of time, a death to the lodge type degree. Then the grand finale, an actual Crucifixion, nails through the hands and everything followed by getting imprisoned in a cave for three days. After that you get risen from the dead and your a full fledged Master Carpenter It's likely the candidate would not know whats coming and the shock and horror of the initiation provokes a temporal lobe seizure, an induced schizophrenia (in a good way) that results in Gnosis, character building, the ability to withstand interrogation and torture ETC. The military has similar rites of passage like Hell Night and the tear gas chamber where you are forced to do jumping jacks and sing while holding your breath.
I am not suggesting writing off the gospels as theatrical production. I believe this would be a magical experience and in a sense the participants would magically become the character during the initiation. If you look at it from this perspective the gospels are brilliant and contain so many puzzles, codes and riddles that millions have spent their life figuring it out. It was probably a good idea that the Bible was kept secret for about 1400 years but it contains a "magic spell" that blinds everyone eyes to it. I get a kick out of watching preachers and all these literal interpretations. They will pull out a few sentences from the Bible and turn it into an hour sermon. Very few get it, maybe 144,000 at most.
I think an atheist could look at it from this perspective and see the value, art and beauty. It doesn't read well because its meant to be a passion play. Movie scripts don't read well either.
I really think I cracked the code on this and looking forward to what others think.
I am not a Roman Catholic but you don’t describe any that I know. Ever hear of Peter Kreeft? 
