Conservative Christian leader James Dobson, founder of Christian group Focus on the Family, died Thursday, according to a statement from the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. Once called “the nation’s most influential evangelical leader,” Dobson grew to prominence in the 1970s through his parenting advice in books like “Dare to Discipline.” Through this work, he influenced a generation of Christian parents.
He founded Focus on the Family in 1977, and later helped establish the Christian think tank Family Research Council in the early ’80s. He advocated strongly against abortion and gay unions, emphasizing the importance of Christian family values as a key feature in the fabric of American society. He later served as an advisor to President Donald Trump during his first term of office in 2017.
For further details of Dobson and his accomplishments, click here to access an article by National Public Radio.