James Dobson, the influential evangelical leader and founder of Focus on the Family, died on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at the age of 89. His passing marks the end of an era for American conservative Christianity, capping a career that spanned nearly five decades and left a profound mark on faith, politics, and family life in the United States.
Born in 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dobson’s early life set the stage for his future as a leading voice in the evangelical movement. He trained as a child psychologist, and his expertise in family dynamics would later become the bedrock of his ministry. In 1977, Dobson launched Focus on the Family, a radio show and ministry that counseled Christians on parenting and promoted what he described as "biblical family values." According to Associated Press, Dobson’s broadcasts quickly found a nationwide audience, resonating with listeners seeking guidance on how to raise children and maintain strong families in an era of cultural change.
Dobson’s influence grew rapidly. Focus on the Family ballooned to over 1,000 employees at its peak, becoming one of the largest evangelical ministries in the world. His bestselling book, "Dare to Discipline," offered firm advice to parents and sold millions of copies, cementing his reputation as a trusted authority on child-rearing. As The Economic Times noted, Dobson’s daily broadcasts were eventually played on more than 4,000 radio stations across North America and translated into 27 languages in over 160 countries. His reach was truly global, and in time, he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.
But Dobson was not content to remain merely a counselor or broadcaster. He leveraged his growing platform to become a political force, pushing conservative Christian ideals into the mainstream of American politics in the 1980s. According to Associated Press, Dobson stood alongside fundamentalist giants like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, advocating for positions that included opposition to abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and efforts to prohibit conversion therapy. He was, as Falwell described in 1989, a "rising star" among Christian conservatives.
His activism extended far beyond the airwaves. Dobson advised on U.S. legislation, served on White House committees, and became a confidant to five presidents. In 1985, he interviewed President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office, a testament to the weight his opinions carried in Washington. Decades later, he was tapped to serve on President Donald Trump’s Evangelical Executive Advisory Board, where his counsel helped shape the administration’s approach to issues such as religious liberty and the Supreme Court.
Dobson’s views were often at the center of controversy. He became a vocal opponent of abortion, campaigning tirelessly against Roe v. Wade, and celebrated its eventual overturning in 2022—a decision he credited in part to President Trump’s conservative appointments to the Supreme Court. "Whether you like Donald Trump or not, whether you supported or voted for him or not, if you are supportive of this Dobbs decision that struck down Roe v. Wade, you have to mention in the same breath the man who made it possible," Dobson declared in a ministry broadcast, according to Associated Press.
His stance on LGBTQ+ rights was equally uncompromising. Dobson campaigned against gay marriage and efforts to end conversion therapy, arguing that these positions were essential to preserving what he saw as the traditional family. Critics, however, have long contended that his advocacy contributed to the stigmatization of LGBTQ+ individuals and the polarization of American society on social issues.
Despite—or perhaps because of—his political influence, Dobson was a deeply polarizing figure. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, another organization Dobson founded, called him worthy of a place on the "Mount Rushmore" of Christian conservatives. "Very few people have had such a positive impact in the shaping of the American family, from what we would describe as a biblical standpoint," Perkins told Associated Press, crediting Dobson with steering families away from what he saw as the excesses of progressive parenting in the 1960s.
Not everyone shared this view. John Fea, an American History professor at Messiah College in Pennsylvania, acknowledged Dobson’s influence but remained critical of his politics and child-rearing philosophy. Still, Fea recounted how his own father, a tough Marine who once spanked his children in anger, became a better parent after listening to Dobson’s radio program. "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," Fea told Associated Press. "I’ve been critical of it most of my career. But as a historian what do you do with these stories? About a dad who becomes a better dad?"
Dobson’s impact extended into the political arena in ways few religious leaders have matched. At one point, he even considered running for president in the 2000 election, following in the footsteps of Pat Robertson’s surprising political foray in 1988. Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, recalled, "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. If Jim had decided to run, he would have been a major force." Reed also remembered the comfort of Dobson’s voice on the radio during long stretches of travel through rural America, saying, "There will probably never be another one like him."
In 2010, Dobson left Focus on the Family and founded the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, where he continued his work through the Family Talk radio show. The program, now nationally syndicated, is carried by 1,500 radio outlets and reaches more than half a million listeners each week, according to his institute. His family, in a statement shared by The Economic Times, said, "Dr. Dobson’s impact endures through the many lives he touched, the families he strengthened, and the unshakable faith he proclaimed."
Dobson is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley, their children Danae and Ryan, daughter-in-law Laura, and two grandchildren. His death was confirmed by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.
James Dobson’s legacy is complex and deeply woven into the fabric of American religious and political life. As the nation reflects on his passing, supporters and critics alike are left to grapple with the enduring influence of a man who, for better or worse, helped shape the contours of the modern American family and the culture wars that continue to define the country’s public discourse.
