James Dobson, the influential founder of Focus on the Family and a towering figure in the American evangelical movement, died Thursday at his home in Colorado Springs at the age of 89. His passing, confirmed by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute and family spokeswoman Jessica Kramer, marks the end of an era for the conservative Christian right, a movement he helped shape over nearly half a century.
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1936, Dobson was the son, grandson, and great-grandson of Church of the Nazarene ministers. His early life was steeped in faith and tradition, with the family shunning dancing and movies and moving frequently due to his father’s work as a traveling evangelist. After graduating from San Benito High School in Texas in 1954, Dobson pursued higher education in psychology, eventually earning a doctorate in child development from the University of Southern California in 1967. As a professor at the Keck School of Medicine and a psychologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Dobson’s concern for what he saw as the unraveling of America’s social fabric set him on a path that would influence millions.
Dobson’s rise to national prominence began in the 1970s, when he published “Dare to Discipline,” a controversial manual advocating corporal punishment in moderation. The book positioned him as a counterpoint to the more permissive parenting philosophies of the time, such as those espoused by Benjamin Spock. According to The New York Times, Dobson’s advice resonated deeply with evangelical parents seeking clear moral guidance amid cultural upheaval.
In 1977, Dobson founded Focus on the Family, a nonprofit, nondenominational ministry dedicated to promoting traditional family values. What started as a modest radio program grew into a $140 million multimedia empire, producing broadcasts, magazines, films, and more than 70 books authored by Dobson himself. At its peak, Focus on the Family employed over 1,000 people and reached vast audiences daily, with radio broadcasts airing on more than 2,000 stations and translated into a dozen languages worldwide. The organization moved its headquarters from Pomona, California, to Colorado Springs in 1991, cementing its place as a national force.
Dobson’s influence extended well beyond the airwaves. He became a key player in the conservative Christian movement alongside figures like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. In 1985, Dobson interviewed President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office, and by 1989, Falwell was calling him a "rising star." Dobson would go on to advise five U.S. presidents—Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump—on matters ranging from family policy to social issues. As Fox News noted, he was a member of Trump’s Evangelical Executive Advisory Board in 2016 and praised Trump in 2022 for appointing Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.
Dobson’s political activism was unmistakable. Focus on the Family and related groups spent more than $4 million on political ads and nearly $2 million lobbying Congress since the late 1990s, according to Open Secrets. He helped establish the Family Research Council in the early 1980s and created a network of Family Policy Councils in roughly 40 states to advance a socially conservative agenda. Peter Wolfgang, executive director of a Connecticut council, credited Dobson as "the builder—not just the thinker—who gave us the institutions that created the space for President Trump to help us turn the tide in the culture war."
Dobson’s stances were often deeply polarizing. He was a staunch opponent of abortion rights, same-sex marriage, and the teaching of evolution in schools. Focus on the Family, under his leadership, described homosexuality as "a particularly evil lie of Satan" and transgender ideology as "a lie from the pit of hell," according to NPR. Dobson promoted conversion therapy, a practice now widely discredited and banned in 23 states and the District of Columbia. In a 2021 video, he argued that "the homosexual community will tell us that transformations never occur. That you cannot change," while promoting so-called "success stories" of people who claimed to have changed their sexuality after ministry intervention.
His views on discipline also drew sharp criticism. Dobson advocated spanking to enforce discipline but cautioned that it should never be done in anger. John Fea, a historian at Messiah College, reflected on the complexities of Dobson’s legacy: "Even as a self-identified evangelical Christian that I am, I have no use in my own life for Dobson’s politics or his child-rearing. But as a historian, what do you do with these stories? About a dad who becomes a better dad?"
Despite the controversies, Dobson’s impact on American family life and politics was undeniable. His radio program, Family Talk, continued after his departure from Focus on the Family in 2010 and was syndicated on 1,500 outlets with over half a million weekly listeners. Gary Bauer, a senior vice president at Dobson’s institute, called him a "pioneer" who helped families navigate a world of shifting values. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council went further, saying Dobson deserved a place on the "Mount Rushmore" of Christian conservatives.
Dobson’s public life was not without moments of unusual notoriety. In 1989, he recorded a video interview with serial killer Ted Bundy the day before Bundy’s execution. Bundy claimed that exposure to pornography had fueled his crimes, a narrative Dobson publicized, though Bundy’s own attorney later dismissed it as self-serving.
Dobson’s critics were numerous. Women’s organizations, LGBTQ+ advocates, and social scientists accused him of misrepresenting research and using his platform to promote divisive, sometimes harmful, ideologies. In 2019, Sojourners, an interfaith group, criticized Dobson’s rhetoric on immigration as reminiscent of darker chapters in Christian history. Dobson, for his part, saw himself as a bulwark against what he called a "moral decline of shocking dimensions."
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley Deere Dobson, their children Danae and Ryan, daughter-in-law Laura, and two grandchildren. Dobson’s legacy—one of fierce conviction and enduring controversy—will continue to shape debates over faith, family, and public life for years to come.
As the nation reflects on Dobson’s passing, both admirers and critics are left to grapple with the profound mark he left on American culture and politics.
