- James Dobson was the founder of Focus on the Family ministry and a Christian family psychologist.
- He influenced American Christian policies and served as an adviser to five U.S presidents.
- His radio show, which continued until recently, was one of the most widely heard faith-based radio programs globally.
James Dobson, Christian family psychologist, founder of the Focus on the Family Christian ministry and former adviser to multiple U.S. presidents, died on Thursday at 89 years old.
His death was confirmed by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, according to The Associated Press.
“Dr. Dobson was a pioneer — a man of deep conviction whose voice shaped the way generations view faith, family and culture,” Gary Bauer, with the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, said in a news release, per USA Today. “His bold leadership, integrity, and compassion helped equip countless families to thrive in a world of shifting values. He was a mentor, a counselor, and a steady voice of truth in turbulent times.”
Dobson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1936, and dedicated his life to strengthening and defending the traditional family, guiding parents and defending biblical values, per the AP. He started a radio show where he counseled Christians on how to be good parents and, in 1977, he founded Focus on the Family.
The organization produced radio programs, books, TV shows and other Sunday school curriculum.
At the organization’s peak, it gave Dobson a platform to weigh in on legislation and serve as an adviser to five presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, per Fox News.
Focus on the Family was originally founded in Arcadia, California, and eventually grew into one of the biggest evangelical ministries in the world, per Fox News. In 1991, Dobson moved the organization to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and its headquarters is still there today.
In the 1980s, Dobson became a force for pushing conservative Christian ideals in American politics, alongside fundamentalists like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. He spent time campaigning to bring religious conservatives into the political mainstream.
Dobson supported Trump throughout all three of his presidential campaigns, and served on the president’s Evangelical Executive Advisory Board, a group of prominent faith leaders gathered to provide counsel on issues important to evangelicals, per Fox News.
In 2010, Dobson left Focus on the Family and went on to found the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, a smaller organization where he focused more on his own broadcasts and teaching. He did continue hosting the “Family Talk” radio show until as recently as Aug. 15, according to USA Today.
The radio show was carried on over 4,000 stations across North America, and its broadcasts were translated into 27 languages and distributed to over 160 countries, according to Fox News. Dobson’s show was one of the most widely heard faith-based radio shows in the world.
“Dr. Dobson’s impact endures through the many lives he touched, the families he strengthened, and the unshakable faith he proclaimed,” his family said in a statement announcing his death, per the AP.
After years of developing a following of millions, Dobson considered running for president in 2000.
“He had a big audience. He was not afraid to speak out. He became a very important voice and there was even talk that he might run for president,” said Ralph Reed, a Christian conservative political organizer and lobbyist who founded the Faith and Freedom Coalition, per the AP. “If Jim had decided to run, he would have been a major force.”
The Faith and Freedom Coalition presented Dobson with a lifetime achievement award in 2017.
Dobson played a pivotal role in shaping political conversations around gambling, pornography, teen pregnancy prevention and the sanctity of human life. He also actively campaigned against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, per the AP.
As well as being a Radio Hall of Fame broadcaster, Dobson wrote over 70 books dedicated to family preservation, making him a New York Times bestselling author.
He was integral to the formation of the Family Research Council and was connected to the Council for National Policy and the Alliance Defending Freedom. Dobson was also personally affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene.
“If you live long enough, life will trash your trophies,” Dobson said in a message to students at Liberty University in 2016. “Whatever your accomplishments are, whatever you think of as the most important thing you’ve done, sooner or later, it won’t matter.”
“Project yourself to the end of your life, which will come one of these days,” he added. “When you’re there and you’re looking back, what will matter to you then?”
Dobson is survived by Shirley, his wife of 64 years, their children, Danae and Ryan, daughter-in-law Laura, and two grandchildren, per the AP.