(David Morrill – Protestia) James Clayton Dobson Jr., the evangelical psychologist who became one of the most recognizable voices in American Christianity through his ministry Focus on the Family, died on August 21, 2025. He was 89. His passing was confirmed by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.
For more than four decades, Dobson shaped evangelical thought on marriage, parenting, and family life. Trained as a child psychologist, he first gained national attention in 1970 with his bestselling book Dare to Discipline, which promoted a model of firm yet caring child-rearing. The book’s success led to media appearances, speaking tours, and eventually the creation of a small radio program that would become the foundation of Focus on the Family.
Launched in 1977, Focus on the Family grew from modest beginnings in Southern California into a sprawling organization with international reach. At its height under Dobson’s leadership, the ministry employed more than a thousand staff, published books and magazines, offered counseling services, and, most notably, produced a daily radio broadcast heard by millions of listeners across the country.
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