Nearest to Every Center: Sardis and the Seven Churches of Revelation A Computational-Geometric and Patristic Study

Abstract

Description Reproducibility Dataset and Computational Code for: Nearest to Every Center: Sardis and the Seven Churches of Revelation — A Computational-Geometric and Patristic Study Authors: Evangelos Varthis, Ilias Chrysostomidis, Marios PoulosAffiliation: Department of Information Science, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece This repository provides the datasets, Python source code, computational procedures, numerical results, and reproducibility documentation supporting a computational-geometric investigation of the seven historical cities associated with the churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The study examines six mathematically distinct definitions of spatial centrality: Arithmetic centroid of the seven geographical points. Area centroid of the polygon formed by the seven cities. Geometric median. Center of the minimum enclosing circle. Perimeter-weighted centroid. Center of the maximum inscribed circle. The geographical coordinates are expressed in the WGS84 reference system and projected into UTM Zone 35N for spatial computation. The principal computational observation is that Sardis is the nearest of the seven cities to each of the six calculated geometric centers. Although the centers do not coincide spatially, they consistently identify the same nearest historical city under the specified reference coordinates. To evaluate the robustness of this observation, a Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis was performed using 10,000 simulated geographical configurations, with independent perturbations of the seven city locations. The repository includes the individual simulation results, summary statistics, and scripts required to reproduce the calculations. The archive contains: Original geographical coordinate dataset. Python implementations of all six geometric methods. Calculated center coordinates and geographical distances. Polygon triangulation and area-centroid calculations. Complete Monte Carlo simulation data and sensitivity results. Reproducible computational figures. Mathematical documentation, execution instructions, and verification files. Research context and significance The computational investigation provides a quantitative foundation for a broader interdisciplinary discussion involving historical geography, Greek and Latin patristic exegesis, and the spatial language of the Book of Revelation. In particular, the spatial centrality associated with Sardis raises an exploratory interpretive question when considered alongside Revelation 3:1, where the church of Sardis is characterized as spiritually dead. This juxtaposition is presented as an open research question rather than evidence of an intentional geographical arrangement. The numerical findings are descriptive and conditional on the selected geographical reference points. The sensitivity analysis measures computational robustness; it does not establish statistical significance, historical intention, or a specific theological interpretation. Reproducibility The archive provides documented Python scripts, source data, individual simulation records, and independently checked numerical outputs, enabling researchers to reproduce and critically evaluate the computational results. Keywords: Seven Churches of Revelation; Sardis; Computational Geometry; Spatial Centrality; Geometric Centroid; Geometric Median; Historical Geography; Patristic Exegesis; Monte Carlo Simulation; Reproducible Research.