Christianity,  News

Dobson resigns as chairman of Focus

From the Associated Press:

Conservative evangelical leader James Dobson has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family but will continue to play a prominent role at the organization he founded more than three decades ago, The Associated Press has learned.

Dobson notified the board of his decision Wednesday, and the 950 employees of the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based ministry were informed Friday morning at a monthly worship service, said Jim Daly, the group’s president and chief executive officer.

Dobson, 72, will continue to host Focus on the Family’s flagship radio program, write a monthly newsletter and speak out on moral issues, Daly said.

6 Comments

  • Russ Ware

    Wow, that is fascinating, and surprising. I have no idea what is behind this, but I was just thinking THIS MORNING (I have no idea why it was on my mind) that Dr. Dobson would need to step down (or be removed) from Focus for this ministry to reform itself for future relevancy and even survival. Fascinating.

  • Russ Ware

    Here’s a commentary that I largely agree with:

    http://julieunplugged.blogspot.com/2009/02/dobson-steps-down-how-i-will-remember.html

    The Adventures in Odyssey radio shows are the best thing to come out of Focus IMHO. In spite of our family’s growing disenchantment with Focus and Dobson (our story is strikingly similar to Julie’s… former home-schoolers, 5 kids in 9 years, etc…), we STILL listen to those. Great writing, great production, great lessons, very entertaining and an approach that seemed to steer those shows clear of the growing ‘dark side’ of Focus in terms of agenda. One exception would be the recent Adventures in Odyssey episodes created as a ‘kid version’ of The Truth Project. Some really obnoxious stuff in that particular volume. A sign that even that show might be turning to ‘the dark side.’

    It will be interesting to see what this means for Focus.

  • Paul

    darned liberal politics. That’s what Christians need less of: public schools and support for unions! (Darius shakes fist vigorously)

    (insert eye roll here)

  • Derek

    Part of our legacy is who our enemies were. It says a lot about us. That Dobson’s enemies are those who despise orthodox Christianity, support abortion rights at every stage of pregnancy, the gambling and pornography industries and sadly, also include those who have undermined the Church from within speaks volumes of the man and his legacy.

  • Derek

    I’m one who believes that we are partly defined by who our enemies are. FOF gets thousands of phone calls every day from families and churches, many of whom are in despair or great discouragement because of spiritual and physical forces that seek the destruction of the family. Dobson and the staff at FOF chose not to stand idly by while these enemies (e.g. gambling, pornography, abortion and entertainment industries) gained much ground and strategic strongholds over the past 40 years.

    I would imagine that Dobson’s greatest detractors will admit, in a moment of honesty, that he woke up many a day, wondering if the ridicule and scorn he and his organization faced for taking these enemies on was worth it. I’m sure the temptation to tuck tail and focus only on non-controversial children’s programming (for instance) was very real.

    Thanks for your courage, good cheer and example, Dr. Dobson. You’ve made some pretty tough decisions – and I’m sure you would change a few things that you’ve done. But you weren’t afraid of the mockery and derision because you could not abandon that many individuals and families who were engaged in a titanic battle with great spiritual implications.

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