Arms of George Robinson Sumner
Arms of George Robinson Sumner
Blazon
Argent on a pile reversed throughout Azure cotised Gules a mullet Argent, on a chief Azure between two open books a pale Argent charged with a cross Gules;
Symbolism
Blue and white are the colours of Wycliffe College, Toronto, of which Bishop Sumner was Principal from 1999 to 2015. The white star refers to the star found in the flag of Texas and the arms of the Diocese of Dallas, of which Dr. Sumner is bishop. A single white star on blue also appears in the arms of Massachusetts, the state in which Bishop Sumner was born. The red cross on white is the cross of St. George, prominent in the arms of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America and the Anglican Church of Canada. It also alludes to Bishop Sumner’s first name. The open books refer to his career as an academic, and to his doctorate from Yale University and his Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School, both of which institutions have arms featuring a white open book on blue.
Motto of George Robinson Sumner
Blazon
SIMUL JUSTUS ET PECCATOR;
Symbolism
This Latin phrase, meaning “At once righteous and a sinner”, is a teaching introduced by Martin Luther in his Lectures on Romans in 1515.
