LDS Audit

CES Letter — Prophets

The CES Letter: Unanswered Questions and Disillusioned Faith

In a faith community that places profound trust in its leaders, the CES Letter penned by Jeremy Runnells has become a lightning rod for discussion, disillusionment, and debate. This document, born from Runnells' heartfelt desire to resolve his doubts about the foundational claims of the LDS Church, lands like a missile in the ongoing dialogue between faith and evidence. The persistence of this conversation speaks volumes about the church's relationship with transparency and accountability, prompting an important question: What happens when the answers to divine questions remain elusive?

Historical Context of the CES Letter

Jeremy Runnells, a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began his existential inquiry in earnest when faced with troubling inconsistencies between church teachings and documented history. After being invited to articulate these concerns by a director of the Church Educational System (CES), Runnells submitted a comprehensive letter detailing his doubts. He was promised a response, yet the church's official silence was deafening. This void of engagement left members and outsiders alike to come to their own conclusions, exacerbating existing doubts and spurring further scrutiny.

The CES Letter exposes several pungent issues: contradictions in the prophetic revelations, historical omissions, and doctrinal changes that call into question the infallibility often ascribed to church leadership. Runnells' approach was not to dismantle faith but to seek clarity, a pursuit that remains at the heart of anyone grappling with spiritual uncertainty.

Key Claims Questioning Prophetic Authority