Is the CES Letter PDF Worth Reading?

In recent years, few documents have had as much influence in the world of anti-Mormon literature as the CES Letter. Published online in 2013 by Jeremy Runnells, a former member of the Church, the CES Letter presents a long list of historical and doctrinal criticisms framed in a way that has caused many Latter-day Saints to experience crises of faith. But is the CES Letter PDF worth reading for yourself? The answer depends on your intentions, preparation, and approach to seeking the truth.

What is the CES Letter?

With all the talk around it, some wonder: what is the CES Letter, exactly? Jeremy Runnells, once a faithful member, missionary, and BYU graduate, wrote the CES Letter in response to an invitation from a Church Education System (CES) director to express his doubts about the Church. That original letter evolved into a viral document shared widely online, translated into multiple languages, and frequently cited by individuals who have left the Church.

It is, undeniably, a powerful document. But close study of its argumentative strategy reveals that its power doesn’t necessarily stem from the strength of its arguments. It comes from the way it presents them.

Understanding the Approach: A Flood of Criticism

The CES Letter has been described as a “Gish Gallop”—a rhetorical technique in which many points are presented very quickly. Each point, defensible or not, takes significantly more time and expertise to refute than it does to state. This manipulative technique is meant to overwhelm defendants with more negative information than they can readily respond to.

This is a key feature of the CES Letter: it’s not an innocent list of sincere questions. Rather, it’s structured specifically to poke at the reader’s emotions, provoking doubt and eroding trust. Runnells, who wrote the CES Letter Mormon, admitted on online forums that he organized the Letter deliberately to “hook” readers emotionally, choosing to begin with Book of Mormon issues instead of Joseph Smith to avoid “dooming” the Letter’s effectiveness. This structuring reveals his intent not to honestly search for answers, but specifically to lead others away from belief.

In fact, prior to publishing the CES Letters, Runnells was actively seeking ways to “save” his children and others from what he called “Mormon brainwashing.” This context, disclosed in his own public statements on ex-Mormon forums, is crucial. It doesn’t mean that sincere questions shouldn’t be asked, but it does prove that the Letter’s presentation as a sincere truth search from a believer is not honest. Instead, the Letter appears to have been designed from the beginning as a tool of deconversion.

The CES Letter is a One-Sided Conversation

Critics like Runnells often accuse the Church of sanitizing or hiding history. But the CES Letter commits its own form of distortion by selectively highlighting only the negative aspects of Church history, often interpreting ambiguous historical details in the worst possible light. This creates a double standard.

Since the Letter mainly concerns itself with history, the conclusions are not just about facts—they are interpretations of those facts. And interpretations depend heavily on who is doing the interpreting, their purpose, and their audience. This kind of historical narrative is not neutral, and the CES Letter’s harsh framing reflects a bias aimed at discrediting faith rather than understanding it.

The Letter frequently presents claims as if they are new or uniquely damning. But in truth, many of these issues have already been addressed for decades by faithful scholars, prophets, and members. The CES Letter rarely acknowledges these faithful responses. And when it does, it frames them as delusions born from cognitive dissonance.

This is where the Letter’s greatest problem lies: not in raising hard questions, but in presenting a deeply unbalanced view while claiming to be objective.

Seeking a Balanced Approach

So, should you read the CES Letter PDF? That depends on your goal.

If you want to build your faith, better understand Church history, or find honest answers to your questions, then it is critical to approach these topics with a balanced perspective. The CES Letter does raise important questions. But despite what Runnells would have you think, reasonable answers do exist.

What makes the Letter unique is not the originality of its content, but its packaging and tone. It leverages ridicule, emotional appeals, and a rapid-fire list of critiques to lead readers to the assumption that faith is irrational.

In contrast, many faithful scholars and defenders of the Church emphasize that historical knowledge requires nuance, humility, and context. Not every past action or statement by Church leaders will make immediate sense to modern readers. But neither does every criticism invalidate the Church’s spiritual fruits.

Members of the Church are taught to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118). That means they’re encouraged not to fear questions, but also not to accept cynical interpretations as the only valid ones. 

So Is the CES Letter Worth Reading?

In short, the CES Letter PDF may be worth reading for some, but only if it is done thoughtfully, and with access to the other side of the argument. It’s always unwise to form a personal opinion based on only one perspective, especially if that perspective is demonstrably dishonest.

Remember that the CES Letters is not an objective document. It is intentionally biased, provocative, and strategically framed to generate doubt rather than resolve it. Reading it without preparation or without balancing voices opens the reader to being manipulated. Honest inquiry means listening to both sides, not just the loudest or most sensational voice in the room.

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Mormonism Explained is a resource that was designed to provide objective and factual information about Mormonism, its history, doctrines, and policies. Our team of researchers consults experts and primary sources to present factual information on a variety of topics relevant to the Mormon Church.

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