Dangerous Titan of Evangelical Influence Dies at 89
New York, N.Y. — James Dobson, the child psychologist who founded Focus on the Family in 1977, died on August 21, 2025, at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the age of 89. His passing, announced by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, marks the end of an era for the evangelical movement he helped define.
Dobson’s work as a broadcaster, author, and political advisor shaped conservative Christian values in America, but his staunch opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights drew sharp criticism. His legacy is a complex tapestry of devotion to family, theological conviction, and cultural contention.
The Rise of a Family Values Empire
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 21, 1936, James Clayton Dobson Jr. grew up in a devout Church of the Nazarene household. His parents, traveling evangelists, instilled a deep faith that would guide his career.
After earning a doctorate in psychology from the University of Southern California, Dobson worked as a psychologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where he began to see the family unit as a bulwark against societal decay.
In 1970, he published Dare to Discipline, a parenting manual advocating for “strict-but-loving” discipline, including corporal punishment, which sold millions and established him as a counterpoint to permissive child-rearing trends.
In 1977, Dobson founded Focus on the Family in Pomona, California, before moving its headquarters to Colorado Springs in 1991. The organization grew into a multimedia empire, employing over 1,000 people at its peak and broadcasting on 4,000 radio stations across 157 countries.
Dobson’s daily radio program, also called Focus on the Family, reached an estimated 220 million listeners worldwide, offering advice on parenting, marriage, and faith. His 70-plus books, translated into 27 languages, reinforced his message of traditional family values, with titles like The Strong-Willed Child and Bringing Up Boys becoming staples in evangelical homes.
A Political Powerhouse in the Culture Wars
Dobson’s influence extended far beyond parenting advice. In the 1980s, alongside figures like Jerry Falwell [Luce Index™ score: 55/100] and Pat Robertson, he became a leading voice in the Christian right, pushing conservative values into mainstream U.S. politics. His organization advocated against abortion, same-sex marriage, and pornography, framing them as threats to the “traditional family.”
Dobson served as an advisor to five U.S. presidents, including Ronald Reagan [Luce Index™ score: 77/100], whom he interviewed in the Oval Office in 1985, and Donald Trump [Luce Index™ score: 35/100], whose 2016 Evangelical Executive Advisory Board he joined.
His political clout was undeniable. Dobson’s support for Trump culminated in praise for the 2022 Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to restrict abortion.
“Whether you like Donald Trump or not, if you are supportive of this Dobbs decision, you have to mention the man who made it possible,” Dobson said in a broadcast. He also helped establish Family Policy Councils in approximately 40 states, which lobbied for socially conservative legislation.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, another Dobson-founded group, called him a “Mount Rushmore” figure among Christian conservatives.
The Washington-based interfaith group Sojourners compared Dobson’s rhetoric to that of German pastors during the
Third Reich, accusing him of aligning Christianity with nationalist agendas. After the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting,
Dobson controversially suggested that mass shootings were divine judgment for abortion and same-sex marriage.
Discipline and Division: Dobson’s Parenting Philosophy
Dobson’s parenting advice, rooted in his psychology background, emphasized authority and discipline. His book Dare to Discipline advocated for spanking to enforce boundaries, provided it was done without anger and caused “genuine tears.” He argued this approach instilled respect and order, countering the cultural permissiveness of the 1960s.
However, critics like Donald Eric Capps and Adah Maurer argued that Dobson’s endorsement of corporal punishment provided theological justification for parental violence, potentially harming children into adulthood.
Capps called Dobson’s advice to “break the will” of a child a “recipe for child abuse,” suggesting it could sexualize discipline or exploit a child’s need for love. On social media platforms like Reddit, former evangelicals shared stories of trauma from households shaped by Dobson’s teachings, with some linking his advocacy for conversion therapy—a pseudoscientific practice to change sexual orientation—to emotional and spiritual harm.
A Dangerous, Lasting and Polarizing Legacy
Dobson’s death has reignited debates over his impact. Supporters credit him with strengthening families and giving evangelicals a political voice. Gary Bauer, a senior vice president at the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, called him a “pioneer” who guided families through shifting cultural values.
Conversely, critics like Sarah Jones and Zach Lambert expressed relief at his passing, citing the pain caused by his opposition to LGBTQ+ rights and support for conversion therapy.
“I’ve walked with hundreds of people who experienced severe trauma because of his teachings,” Lambert wrote on X.
Dobson’s theological pivot—making the family a sacred cornerstone of evangelicalism—reversed historical trends that prioritized spiritual fervor over domestic life.
His dystopian fiction trilogy (Fatherless, Childless, Godless) warned of societal collapse without strong families, resonating with conservatives but alarming progressives.
His ecumenical efforts, such as signing the Manhattan Declaration in 2009 alongside Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians, showed a willingness to bridge denominational divides.
However, issues like abortion and marriage, though his theological differences with Roman Catholicism remained.
A Voice That Echoed Across Generations
Dobson’s influence, built on a 46-acre (18.6-hectare) campus in Colorado Springs, was both intimate and global. His radio voice, a constant for millions, was a companion to people like Ralph Reed, who recalled hearing Dobson on the AM dial while traveling rural America.
His Family Talk radio show, launched after leaving Focus on the Family in 2010, reached over 500,000 weekly listeners via 1,500 stations.
His books, with sales in the millions, and his organization’s US$140 million (approximately £106 million) empire, underscored his reach.
As the U.S. navigates ongoing cultural divides, Dobson’s legacy remains a lightning rod. To some, he was a defender of biblical truth and family; to others like myself, a symbol of intolerance.
His death, following a brief illness, closes a chapter, but the debates he sparked—on discipline, faith, and the role of religion in public life—will endure. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley Dobson, their two children, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.
Editor’s Note: As co-founder and Vice president of the 1980’s organization Fundamentalists Anonymous, the author spent a decade combating what he describes as the “Fundamentalist Mindset” and offering help to its victims. Luce specifically targeted Jerry Falwell, pat Robertson, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Bakker, and James Robinson. Falwell named Fundamentalists Anonymous and Luce as “Number One Enemy of the Gospel.”
Death | James Dobson’s Legacy: Faith, Family, and Controversy (Aug. 23, 2025)
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Tags: James Dobson, Focus on the Family, evangelicalism, Christian right, family values, abortion,
LGBTQ rights, corporal punishment, conversion therapy, Dr. James Dobson Family Institute
Summary
James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, died at 89 on August 21, 2025, leaving a polarizing legacy. His evangelical empire championed conservative family values, influencing millions through radio, books, and political advocacy. While praised for strengthening families, Dobson faced criticism for his opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, with some calling his teachings divisive. His impact on American Christianity and politics remains undeniable, sparking debate about faith and society.
