The CES Letter: A DNA Analysis Examination

To examine this topic “The CES Letter: A DNA Analysis Examination.” It is crucial to understand a few things. First, what is the CES Letter? Second, what is the CES Letter’s argument about DNA Analysis, and finally, what information is the CES Letter missing or ignoring? 

The CES Letter

The CES Letter was written by Jeremy Runnells, a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In it, Runnells addresses various concerns and questions he had about the church’s history, doctrine, and practices. The letter is organized into sections that cover topics such as the Book of Mormon’s historicity, Joseph Smith’s translation methods, the church’s treatment of historical issues, and the church’s stance on social and doctrinal matters. 

The CES Letter Argument

One of the arguments in the CES Letter section about the Book of Mormon is this:

“DNA analysis has concluded that Native American Indians do not originate from the Middle East or from Israelites but rather from Asia. Why did the Church change the following section of the introduction page in the 2006 edition Book of Mormon, shortly after the DNA results were released?

“…the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians” to

“…the Lamanites, and they are among the ancestors of the American Indians”

U P D A T E : The Church conceded in its January 2014 Book of Mormon and DNA Studies essay that the majority of Native Americans carry largely Asian DNA. The Church, through this essay, makes a major shift in narrative from its past dominant narrative and claims of the origins of the Native American Indians.”

What the CES Letter is Missing

First of all, the CES Letter’s first fact about DNA analysis is correct–the DNA of Native Americans today does have the genetic markers of Asian ancestry. However, another DNA analysis was collected from South American skeletons from 8600 years ago to 500 years ago. The study showed that “All of the ancient mitochondrial lineages detected in this study were absent from modern data sets.” What does this mean? It means that the DNA markers present in the ancestors of the Native Americans of South America have disappeared in the DNA of their descendants. 

The disappearance of genetic markers happens for various reasons including bottleneck and genetic drift. Genetic bottleneck and genetic drift are concepts in population genetics that describe how genetic variation in a population can be affected by certain events and processes.

Genetic Bottleneck: A genetic bottleneck occurs when a population experiences a dramatic reduction in size due to a catastrophic event (such as a natural disaster or disease outbreak) or other factors that drastically decrease the number of individuals. One such event is described at the end of the Book of Mormon when a series of wars destroys nearly all of the Nephite population. Another example of this would be the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, which scientists estimate decimated the Native American population. This reduction in population size leads to a loss of genetic diversity because only a small subset of the original population’s genetic variation is passed on to the surviving members. As a result, the gene pool becomes more uniform. The genetic bottleneck effect can result in a population that is less genetically diverse than its ancestors.

Genetic Drift: Genetic drift is the change in the frequency of genetic traits in a population due to random sampling effects rather than natural selection. This occurs because not all individuals reproduce or contribute equally to the next generation. In small populations, like the family of Lehi, genetic drift can have a more pronounced effect, leading to the loss or fixation of certain alleles (genetic variants) over time. Unlike natural selection, which is based on the relative fitness of traits, genetic drift is a stochastic process, meaning it’s driven by chance events. Over time, genetic drift can lead to reduced genetic variation and can significantly influence the genetic makeup of a population, especially in small populations.

Both genetic bottleneck and genetic drift influenced the DNA of the Native American populations. It is not shocking that the Middle Eastern or Israelite DNA of Lehi’s family cannot be found in the Native American population today. The Book of Mormon describes other groups’ arrival in the Americas, not simply that of the family of Lehi. However, we have no information about the ancestry of these groups, which include the Mulekites and the Jaredites. Because of this, scientists cannot track these Book of Mormon groups’ genetic markers through DNA.

Finally, Jeremy Runnells’ CES Letter takes issue with the fact that the introduction to the Book of Mormon, written in 1981, has been updated to include more modern knowledge and information. The introduction to the Book of Mormon was written by a committee, which used the best information it had, and likely the opinions of the committee members, to write this introduction. When a new edition of the Book of Mormon was published in 2006, it was updated to include more accurate information. This has no bearing on Joseph Smith’s claim that the Book of Mormon is an ancient American record.

Although not a key factor in understanding DNA analysis and its relation to the Book of Mormon, it is also worth noting that one of the key doctrines of the LDS Church is that God “will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” Change is inevitable and members of the LDS Church believe that God communicates with His prophets to help His children live His gospel in a changing world. 

Examining the CES Letter through the lens of DNA analysis reveals the CES Letter overlooks significant factors that could account for DNA discrepancies. Genetic bottlenecks and drift offer plausible explanations for the absence of specific Middle Eastern genetic markers in contemporary Native American populations, suggesting that the genetic legacy of ancient populations can be profoundly altered over time due to such events. Additionally, the evolution of the Book of Mormon’s introduction reflects an effort to reconcile the text with contemporary understanding rather than disprove its historical claims. The CES Letter’s critiques must be considered within the broader context of genetic science and religious doctrine, acknowledging both the limitations of current evidence and the adaptability of faith-based interpretations.

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