What is the kernel of Christianity?

I am borrowing from computer science terminology here. In computer science, the "kernel" is the heart of the operating system. It is the element through virtually all interactions between programming and hardware ultimately take place. Think of it is the primary identifying core of the system. What is the primary identifying core of Christianity? I doubt I am going to get the range of replies from various sorts of Christians required to establish just how different those replies can be, so let me take the liberty of presenting a few examples:

evangelical protestant Christian - To believe that the events revolving around vicarious redemption are literally true.

proceduralist protestant Christian - As above, but including the performance of ritual X (where X is baptism, for example).

literalist protestant Christian - The Bible.

Modern Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, or Mormon - The authority of the Mother Church.

These ideas of the kernel of Christianity vary incredibly not only in their content, but more significantly, in scope. Not only can Christians not agree as to the kernel of their beliefs; they can't even decide how big it is. To a Catholic, the Bible and baptism are important, but as subsets of Church authority (they might use the word "tradition", but the distinction is ultimately meaningless). All Christians believe that certain elements of their belief system can be dismissed. For example, the Catholics believe that church authority is not threatened by the abuse of said authority by pedophile priests. The literalists believe that the law about killing people who work on the Sabbath can be overlooked. And so on. The point is that all Christians believe Christianity can work without certain pieces; that there is a magic candy center that is ultimately unassailable, perfect, and good. so The question once again is what is the kernel of christainity and why is there no Universally acceptable christainity?

Mazaje?

Really?

Kernel?

ROTFLMAO!!

ha ha never heard of the word kernel since linear algebra class. my man, you sabi oyinbo o. christianity has a canal and not a kernel, just a bunch of intellectual sewage and wasted theocracy

We love it like that.