potentially controversial part of the First Book of Nephi is the misunderstanding that has resulted from descriptions trying to define the "great and abominable church" that Nephi sees among the "nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles"(I Nephi 13:3-8). It may be of interest to note how this particular vision has affected Mormonism's view toward the rest of Christianity. The Great and Abominable Church Nephi sees the persecution of the apostles and their followers by the "house of Israel", then later sees a "great church" that is, according to the description of the angel, "...most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron...". The description almost immediately appears to be describing the persecution of Reformers and Protestant or proto-Protestant groups of people who suffered persecution and execution before, during, and after the Middle Ages, and this view seems to have been held by Bruce R. McConkie in his first edition of Mormon Doctrine. While Mormons do not believe such groups had the fullness of the gospel (often meaning priesthood authority of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods), and neither considering themselves Protestant, they do however believe that such groups had many righteous leaders and members who could be considered saints because they followed the light of Christ and sought to follow Him. Such people would include Wycliffe and Tyndale, who have been brought up most recently in an LDS General Conference. The majority of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that this great and abominable church includes any organized group of people who fight against God and His divine purposes by means of persecution, false teachings and belief systems, and oppression. Bruce R. McConkie, who was later ordained an apostle of the LDS Church, originally wrote his opinion that the Catholic Church was the great and abominable church, but very few in the LDS Church share his view today. His meaning of the Catholic Church was the church in its original state when it was executing and plundering and hiding its crimes as a government and a church. Scriptures indicate organizations and nations during periods of times, but not necessarily throughout the span of history in its entirety. The idea that the great and abominable church includes all evil institutions may appear completely accurate to some, since there