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The titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used to identify all churches or organizations of whatever name or nature -- whether political, philosophical, educational, economic social, fraternal, civic, or religious -- which are designed to take men.
Source: McConkie, Bruce R., Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966. 137.
The phrase "great and abominable church," which appears in an apocalyptic vision received by the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi1 in the sixth century B.C., refers to the church of the devil and is understood by Latter-day Saints to be equivalent to the "great whore that sitteth upon many waters" described in Revelation 17:1. This "whore of all the earth" is identified by Nephi's brother Jacob as all those who are against God and who fight against Zion, in all periods of time. Nephi did not write a detailed account of everything he saw in the vision, as this responsibility was reserved for John the apostle, who was to receive the same vision; however, Nephi repeatedly refers to its content and teachings, using various images and phrases.
Source: Ludlow, Daniel H, ed. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Vol. 2. GREAT AND ABOMINABLE CHURCH. New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1992.