Focus On The Family Founder James Dobson Is Dead At 89

Dr. James Dobson, the influential Christian psychologist and Focus on the Family founder, died Thursday at age 89. The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute announced that Dobson had passed away in Colorado Springs following a brief illness.

A seminal proponent of family values in the 1980s and 90s who served as advisor to five Presidents, Dobson helped mobilize a conservative movement on issues like abortion, pornography, and gay marriage.

Born on April 21, 1936, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dobson was the son of Myrtle Georgia and James Clayton Dobson Sr., both of whom were prominent figures in the Nazarene Church. Raised in a devout Christian household, he developed an early passion for understanding human behavior and faith. Dobson earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Pasadena College (now Point Loma Nazarene University) in 1958 and later a PhD in Child Development from the University of Southern California in 1967, laying the foundation for his influential career.

Dobson’s national breakthrough came in 1970 with his best-selling book, Dare to Discipline, which offered biblical parenting advice in an era when many secular psychologists were championing a more permissive approach. The more than 70 books he would go on to author and co-author, including The Strong-Willed Child (1978), Love for a Lifetime (1987), and Bringing Up Boys (2001), cemented his reputation as America’s premier Christian family expert, selling millions of copies worldwide.

But Dobson’s influence mainly emerged with the founding of Focus on the Family in 1977. What started as a small radio ministry featuring biblical advice on parenting and marriage grew into a global organization, airing on more than 4,000 stations in North America alone. The ministry would later expand to include film series and a popular children’s radio theater program, Adventures in Odyssey.

In the 1980s, Dobson’s advocacy for traditional family values also led him to become a leader in the conservative movement alongside Jerry Falwell of the Moral Majority and Pat Robertson of the Christian Coalition. In 1981, he founded the Family Research Council to promote public policies aligned with Christian morality. His firm stance on issues like parental discipline and opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage sparked debates. Yet, despite fierce criticism in the secular media, his commitment to his convictions remained unwavering. He would eventually go on to serve on President Donald Trump’s advisory board for evangelical affairs.

Tributes poured in for Dobson on the announcement of his death, with Samaritan’s Purse President, Franklin Graham, calling him a “staunch defender of the family” who stood for “morality and Biblical values as much as any person in our country’s history.” Bestselling Christian author and radio personality Eric Metaxas called him “a hero” and said Dobson was not afraid to bring his faith into the public sphere for God’s purposes.”

Dobson is survived by his wife of 65 years, Shirley Deere Dobson, and their two children, Danae and Ryan.