# The purpose and preservation of the Jesus tradition: moderate evidence for a conserving force in its transmission #### (2005) - M F Bird **Link**:: https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/psup/biblical-research/article-abstract/15/2/161/300755 **DOI**:: **Links**:: **Tags**:: #paper **Cite Key**:: [@Bird2005-wu] ### Abstract ``` An important preface to historical Jesus research involves formulating a theory of the transmission of the traditions underlying the Gospels. Scholarship frequently exhibits either an inherent skepticism toward trying to uncover how this tradition was handled or else is saturated with multiple proposals concerning the means of its formation. In any event, important questions to be asked include what purpose the Jesus tradition had in early Christian circles and what factors or controls may have enabled that tradition to be … ``` ### Notes