Dr. James Dobson, a psychologist, former top adviser to President Donald Trump, and a prominent evangelical leader whose advocacy for family values influenced American culture and politics for more than 50 years, passed away Thursday at the age of 89.
Born in 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dobson rose to national prominence as a leading voice in evangelical Christianity. Through his daily broadcasts and bestselling books, he reached millions of families with messages emphasizing faith, marriage, and child-rearing as central to American life.
“Dr. Dobson was a pioneer — a man of deep conviction whose voice shaped the way generations view faith, family, and culture,” said Gary Bauer, senior vice president of public policy at the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI). “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 began his career as a clinical psychologist but became widely recognized in the mid-1970s when he founded Focus on the Family (FOTF) in California. The organization quickly became a central hub for evangelical engagement on issues related to family life, marriage, parenting, and cultural change.
By the 1980s and 1990s, Dobson’s daily radio program aired on more than 4,000 stations across North America. Translated into 27 languages and distributed in over 160 countries, it became one of the world’s most widely listened-to Christian radio shows.
In 1991, FOTF moved its headquarters to Colorado Springs, Colorado. Under Dobson’s leadership, the ministry played a significant role in the evangelical movement, championing positions on marriage, parenting, religious liberty, and pro-life advocacy.
