Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family (
FOTF or
FotF), founded in 1977, is an
evangelical Christian 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the
United States. The organization describes itself as "dedicated to nurturing and defending
families worldwide". The group was founded by
James Dobson and is headquartered in
Colorado Springs,
Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical para-church organizations whose stated aim is not to start a new
church or
denomination, but to work
interdenominationally to protect and promote their definitions of traditional family and
family values. Some of the core promotional activities of the organization include a daily radio broadcast by Dobson and his colleagues, providing free counseling and resources for those facing family difficulties, and publishing a variety of magazines, videos and audio recordings.
In response to perceived threats to the family from changing world views in society, Dobson and his associates have become more politically active, and are regarded as a major voice in the
Christian right, generally promoting
socially conservative policies. Recently it began publishing a new political magazine called
Citizen which addresses political concerns, especially on issues where current public policies are seen as threatening to conservative families.
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Australia: Focus on the Family Australia, Clayton,
Victoria*
Belgium: Focus on the Family Belgium,
Oud-Heverlee*
Canada:
Focus on the Family Canada,
Vancouver, British Columbia*
Costa Rica: Enfoque a la Familia Costa Rica,
San José*
Egypt: Focus on the Family Egypt,
Cairo*
Iran: Islamic Republic Iran,
Tehran*
Ireland: Focus on the Family Ireland,
Dublin*
Japan: Family Focus Japan,
Yokohama*
Korea: Open Family Korea,
Seoul*
Malaysia: Focus on the Family Malaysia,
Selangor*
Netherlands: Focus on the Family Netherlands,
Dordrecht*
New Zealand: Focus on the Family New Zealand,
Auckland*
Singapore: Focus on the Family Singapore
*
South Africa: Focus on the Family Southern Africa,
Hillcrest,
KwaZulu-Natal*
Taiwan: Tai-wan Ai-chia Chi-chin Hui,
TaipeiDespite Focus on the Family's past claims of being adamantly non-political, the group and James Dobson have been heavily involved in politics. The FOF's radio broadcasts, videos, CDs, and magazines all (in one way or another) discuss political issues and current events, usually from a conservative point of view. Focus on the Family's magazine
Citizen is exclusively devoted to politics. The FOF also has an affiliated group,
Focus on the Family Action (a.k.a. Focus Action), which engages in conservative political activism, though the two groups are legally separate.
The group supports the teaching of what they characterize as "traditional
family values." It advocates
school prayer and supports
corporal punishment,
[[1]] It strongly opposes
abortion,
homosexuality,
pornography, and pre-marital
sexual activity. Focus on the Family also embraces and reflects the wider political agenda of its conservative American Christian audience, for instance promoting a religiously-centered conception of American identity and the support of Israel.[
2][
3]
Focus on the Family broadcasts a national
talk radio program of the same name hosted by Dobson or his aides. The program has a range of themes, such as Christian-oriented assistance for victims of
rape or
child abuse; parenting difficulties; child
adoption; husband/wife roles; family history and traditions; struggles with
gambling,
pornography,
alcohol, and
drugs; and many other themes. When programs deal with civic issues, listeners often respond to these programs by contacting political leaders.
The organization claims that their daily radio broadcast has over 1.5 million listeners daily in the
United States. They also have offices worldwide, and claim a worldwide audience of over 200 million for their daily radio broadcast.
Focus on the Family also produces ten monthly magazines with a combined circulation of about 2.3 million subscribers, and a wide variety of books and films. Magazines include
Focus on the Family,
Plugged In,
Brio,
Clubhouse,
Clubhouse Jr., and
Citizen.
Dobson has also another group,
Focus Action, a
501(c)(4) social welfare group which has fewer political lobbying restrictions.
TheocracyWatch identifies Focus on the Family as a
dominionist organization,
["Dominionist Influence in The U.S. Congress", TheocracyWatch, Last updated: December 2005; URL accessed April 23, 2006.] and contends they have become more successful than the
Christian Coalition in their influence on the U.S. Congress.
Focus on the Family has been a prominent supporter of
intelligent design.
[Inferior Design Chris Mooney. The American Prospect Online, September 2005] Focus on the Family co-published the intelligent design videotape
Unlocking the Mystery of Life with the
Discovery Institute, hub of the
intelligent design movement.
[Unlocking the Mystery of Life Stephen C. Meyer and W. Peter Allen. Center for Science and Culture July 15, 2004] Focus on the Family employee Mark Hartwig is also a fellow of the Discovery Institute's
Center for Science and Culture, a connection which has helped to publicize intelligent design extensively; James Dobson often features intelligent design proponents on his Focus on the Family radio program. Focus on the Family's Family.org is a significant online resource for intelligent design articles.
[Feature Articles Focus On Social Issues - Origins. CitizenLink, Focus on the Family] [Recommended Reading List Focus On Social Issues - Origins. CitizenLink, Focus on the Family]Leadership for the organization was provided by Dobson alone until 2003. In 2003,
Donald P. Hodel became
president and
chief executive officer, tasked with the day-to-day operations. This left Dobson as
chairman of the Board of Directors, with chiefly creative and speaking duties.
In March, 2005, Hodel retired and
Jim Daly, formerly the Vice President in charge of Focus on the Family's International Division, assumed the role of
president and
chief executive officer.
Focus on the Family began in
1977 out of a small office in
Arcadia,
California. It soon outgrew that facility and began acquiring space in both Arcadia and in nearby
Monrovia as its radio program grew in listenership. By
1990, the group needed even more space, and relocated to a new office complex in
Pomona, California, that was supposed to last the organization for many years. Further growth caused by increased listenership of the radio program and readership of its books and magazines caused the organization to look for even more. In September 1993, having relocated to temporary quarters in various locations in Colorado Springs in the previous months, Focus on the Family dedicated its main building on an expansive 49-acre (200,000 m²) site.
Currently its three office buildings have a combined space of over 526,000 square feet (49,000 m²) housing over 1300 employees. One of the buildings is largely used for receiving telephone calls from listeners and providing requested assistance; this activity engages the largest segment of its employees. The organization's facilities are open for tours by the public Monday through Saturdays, excepting certain holidays. A bookstore and cafeteria are onsite, as is the child-oriented Whit's End Soda Shoppe which serves
ice cream and "Wodfamchocsod" (chocolate soda) made famous by the
Adventures in Odyssey children's radio theatre show produced by Focus on the Family.
Focus on The Family Radio Theatre is a subsidiary company of Focus on the Family, which adapts classic literature, mystery mini-series' and biographical productions, extending its reach to the mainstream as well as the Christian audience. At its peak, the weekly broadcasts aired on 240 stations nationwide, reaching audiences in excess of 350,000.
Radio Theatre began with historical biographies of
Squanto ("The Legend of Squanto"),
Jesus ("The Luke Reports") and
Dietrich Bonhoeffer ("Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom"), and in 1996, a 90-minute radio drama based on
Charles Dickens'
A Christmas Carol was produced and aired as a broadcast special. In 1986, they broadcasted a radio edition of
Tilly, a book by evangelical author
Frank Peretti.
In 2005, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre released an audio dramatization of
C. S. Lewis' epic novel series
The Chronicles of Narnia, with
David Suchet providing the voice of
Aslan, and a host of
English actors rounding out the cast. Lewis' stepson,
Douglas Gresham, served as host for the daily broadcasts of the series.
Radio Theatre was awarded the
Peabody Award for
Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom.
Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre's broadcasts were discontinued at the end of 2005; previously released dramatizations are still available for purchase through the division's official website.
On July 17, 2006
Soulforce, a
gay rights group, "accused Focus on the Family founder James Dobson of manipulating research data to say gays and lesbians are not good parents."[
4]
Judith Stacey, a sociologist at
New York University, said Focus on the Family "manipulated" her work "in an attempt to show gays and lesbians do not make good parents."[
5] A Focus on the Family official denied the allegation.[
6] Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes said "That misinformation has real tragic results. It makes living for families like ours much more difficult. We are rejected sometimes by loved ones, we are shunned by churches and we are discriminated against in every state in this country."[
7]
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Culture war*
Focus on the Family Action*
Focus on the Family Canada*
Focus on the Family Institute*
Family Research Council*
Christian Right*
James Dobson*
Official website*
Focus on the Family Radio Theatre official site.
*
Adventures In Odyssey radio
