By Faith Alone: One Family's Epic Journey Through 400 Years of American Protestantism

The story of American Protestantism—through one man’s incredible family history.

Bill Griffeth had been a TV journalist covering Wall Street and the world of high finance for a quarter of a century. But when he made the startling discovery that his eight-times great-grandmother was convicted and executed during the Salem witch trials of 1692, he began to research the biggest story of his life: the four-hundred-year history of his family and of our country’s Protestant roots.

His travels took him to the fishing village in England where his earliest ancestors lived and worshipped, to the Netherlands where they sought refuge from persecution, and to the sites in New England and New York where they were members of colonial villages. Griffeth’s account includes stories of his long-forgotten relatives and of their neighbors and colleagues whom history still remembers.

By Faith Alone is a rich history of our country’s Protestant heritage. It is also one man’s journey of more than ten thousand miles and four centuries, capturing his personal desire to understand the courage and faith of family.


“Bill Griffeth’s story is America’s story. . . . Reading this book is like watching the slide show of an old friend—a friend who knows what he is talking about, has done his homework, enjoys telling a good story, and was transformed by his own journey.”
—Bruce Feiler, author of Walking the Bible and Where God Was Born

“A welcome gift . . . fascinating, well written, and certain to inspire others to embark on a similar quest.”
—United Methodist Relay