The land as a gift from God by Revd Dr Chris Wright. In the Old Testament, Israel had land to live in because God, quite simply, had given it to them. This gift of land made Israel realise how dependent they were on God and how dependable God was in providing for their needs - even when they were unfaithful to him. The gift of land proved the relationship between God and Israel. Individuals had the right to their own individual piece of land - the land was intended to be equally shared out. ...

In April 1997 a special ceremony took place in Pattavam village in Kerala, South India. In a symbolic and moving ceremony, an old farmer handed over to a young child of the village, a register of nearly every species and crop growing within the village boundaries.