Authorship of the CES Letter

Who wrote the CES Letter? The author of the CES Letter is a man named Jeremy Runnells. The CES Letter is a comprehensive critique of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Runnells work has become a significant document for many questioning their faith, leaving the church, as well as critics of the church. Runnells is sometimes left out of the discussion of the CES Letter, but as the author, Runnells should be considered an integral part of any discussion of the CES Letter, as authorship is a critical part of evaluating a source. Authorship is crucial to evaluating authority (are they an expert in the field?), credibility (how do other experts view the author?), and bias (every author has a bias, what is this author’s bias?).

Most of the information about Runnells comes from his internet activity, particularly his activity on an ex-Mormon subreddit group and his website (cesletter.com). Jeremy Runnells was born and raised in the LDS Church. Like many members, he participated actively in church activities and held various positions within the church, including serving an LDS mission. Runnells’ faith journey took a dramatic turn when he began encountering the church’s history and doctrine he considered troubling. 

In October 2012, Runnells posted a response to Elder Quentin L. Cook’s General Conference talk on the ex-Mormon Reddit group he belonged to. He wrote “I am one of those formerly spiritually lost and “apostate” souls whose testimony was destroyed by falsehoods I found on the evil internetz. But on Saturday night, following your advice at General Conference, I repented of my disillusionment, and it totally worked.” The next month, Runnells posted that he needed advice on how to save his children from the LDS Church, which his wife still took them to. These posts seem to communicate that Runnells was already disillusioned with the church by late 2012.

When was the CES Letter written?

At the invitation of his grandfather, Runnells began composing a letter outlining the issues that troubled him about the church. The letter was addressed to a friend of his grandfather, a Church Education System (CES) director. Runnells shared a draft of the document on Reddit asking for the ex-Mormon community’s feedback on how to make his arguments irrefutable. 

A CES Letter summary shows that the letter outlines thirteen topics. Within each topic are many more subtopics. These are the thirteen main subjects addressed by Runnells in the CES Letter:

• Book of Mormon

• Book of Mormon Translation
• First Vision
• Book of Abraham
• Polygamy/Polyandry
• Prophets
• Kinderhook Plates and Translator Claims
• Testimony and Spiritual Witness
• Priesthood Restoration
• Witnesses
• Temples and Freemasonry
• Science
• Other Concerns

Runnells wrote that he never received an answer to his letter. In April 2013, Runnells posted a final draft of his letter on Reddit and invited the ex-Mormon forum members to personalize the letter and give it to their active church family and friends. In August, Runnells published the “Letter to a CES Director: Why I Lost My Testimony” on the website cesletter.com.

Responses to the CES Letter

The CES Letter quickly gained traction within the ex-Mormon community and among those questioning their faith. Its comprehensive presentation of challenging issues resonated with many who were experiencing doubts. The document has had a profound impact on the LDS community, leading to significant discussions and debates.

The LDS Church as well as many LDS apologists have responded to the CES Letter in various ways, aiming to address the concerns raised by Runnells. The LDS Church has not issued an official response to the CES Letter. However, it has published essays on its official website addressing many of the topics covered in the letter, such as the translation of the Book of Mormon, polygamy, and race and the priesthood.

Organizations like FairMormon (now known as FAIR) and other apologetic groups have published detailed rebuttals to the CES Letter. These responses argue against the cherry-picked or misrepresented sources of the CES Letter. They also seek to provide historical and doctrinal context to counter Runnells’ claims. M critics of the CES Letter also argue that the letter fails to consider the role that faith plays in the LDS Church, and all other religions for that matter.

Jeremy Runnells has responded to some of the critiques of his letter. He crowdsourced responses to FAIR’s series of responses to the CES Letter, which he published on his website as “Debunking FAIRMormon.” Other critics of the CES Letter have been met with disdain from Runnells, who has called those who reply to his letter “suffocatingly conceited,” implying their families dislike them, or by deriding theologians as “unofficial apologists.”

Jeremy Runnells Today

In 2016, Runnells was asked to appear before a disciplinary council to discuss apostasy. However, before being excommunicated, Runnells resigned his membership in the church. He recorded the disciplinary council and shared it online. Immediately following the meeting, he held a press conference about his resignation from the church.

Runnells has a notification on his website cesletter.com that the CES Letter Foundation is a non-profit and any donations are tax-deductible. However, the CES Letter Foundation does not appear on any IRS websites identifying non-profit organizations. An IRS letter from 2023 states the CES Letter Foundation’s non-profit status was revoked. Runnells has continued to be an active voice in the ex-Mormon community. He has participated in various interviews, podcasts, and public speaking events, sharing his story. 

About Mormonism Explained

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.

Tags