James Dobson, a child psychologist who founded the conservative ministry Focus on the Family and was a politically influential campaigner against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, has died at age 89

James Dobson founded Focus on the Family and his legacy is defined by his longtime commitment to educating evangelicals on traditional family values.

Influential evangelical leader James Dobson, who declared war on same-sex marriage and abortion, has died, his namesake family institute announced in a post on social media on Thursday. He was 89. “He went home to be with the Lord peacefully, following a brief illness,” the statement reads.