James Dobson, founder of the conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family and adviser to five presidents, has died Thursday.
He was 89 years old.
The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute confirmed Dobson’s death, according to the Associated Press.
Dobson was a child psychologist and campaigned against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
Dobson was on a radio show where he counseled Christians on how to be good parents. In 1977, he started Focus on the Family.
At its height, Focus on the Family employed more than 1,000 people. This afforded him the opportunity to weigh in on legislation and counsel five presidents — Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, per the New York Post.
In the 1980s, he was able to tout Christian ideals in mainstream politics along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. Falwell referred to him a rising star in 1989, the AP wrote.
He was one the evangelical leaders who advised President Donald Trump in 2016.
Focus on the Family, which was started in California, moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the 1990s. The city became a hub for evangelicals, and, at times, was called the “Vatican of the West.”
“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 JDFI, per the Post.
“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,” Bauer continued.
Dobson was born in 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley, as well as their two children, a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.
