To summarize quickly – This work is a traditional (no new age stuff) spiritual handbook along the lines of well practiced early Christianity. It comprises the basics of spirituality that I’ve been able to compile after searching dozens of mostly tradition Christian documents. It contains the fundamental principles underlying most every reasonable religion.
For a really quick idea of source material see the bibliography at the end of the PDF. Most of those books are available online as PDF’s.
This project did not start with the CES (Church Educational System Letter) Letter in mind. In the summer of 2025 I sat down at the computer with what I thought would be a simple task. I wanted to reduce my conception of God to writing. Well, I sat there for hours unable to formulate exactly how I thought of God. This went on for several days, till I eventually realized I really didn’t know, and resumed doing research.
I made quite a bit of progress and started to write a few things down before I had a chance conversation with an LDS Institute Director. The tail end of that discussion involved my pursuit of spiritual truths. I intended to follow up that conversation with a letter in the fall of 2025 but kept adding to it. I finally sent it May, 2026 and subsequently created and put it’s contents up on this site (original now removed, but I have a copy).
While not written with the CES Letter in mind, the ID Letter is however an important answer to the CES Letter. It proposes a solution to the effects of the CES Letter (often disaffection), by offering a usable spiritual framework for Latter Day Saints who have deconstructed (right or wrong) following the CES Letter.
This site and the letter take no position on the issues raised in the CES Letter one way or the other simply because I don’t want to be in the middle of arguments about those issues which generate a lot of unproductive negative emotion. Instead this letter strikes at a deeper positive spiritual level.
The ID Letter (for now renamed Contemplative Spirituality) has broad application. Regardless of your status with any particular religion (in or out, believing or not) the spiritual framework described will likely improve your life if even a few of its concepts are internalized.
Why was it called the ID Letter? In part because people are familiar with the CES Letter, and I quite frankly thought that might help with Search Engine Optimization. It seemed a logical name all things considered. There isn’t much of a backstory, and it’s not pertinent to the intent of the letter, which is to give insights on the spirituality underlying most Christian religions with a possible path forward.
Nothing contained in the letter or on this site should be construed as church doctrine of any church. It’s just my analysis of the Christian religious landscape, the deeper aspects of which I hope may be helpful.
The conclusions I’ve reached run fairly close doctrinally to standard (although older) Christianity without a heavy dependence on Trinitarianism or any particular denomination. There is no reference to LDS doctrine one way or the other in it.
The concepts in the Letter (standard Christian principles BTW) can be practiced while still remaining a member of the LDS church. In fact I encourage remaining a member of the church, for the much good it does for many. The real spiritual work however, must be done inwardly regardless of which religion and outward doctrine, if any, is chosen.
For official doctrine and spiritual direction it’s essential that you visit your church leaders because they may have insights and inspiration I don’t have, and they know you personally.
I wish you success in your search for, and practice of, spiritual truth.
D. J.