Leading article: Blessed peacemaker?

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Listen carefully and you might already be able to hear the distant sound of swords being beaten into ploughshares. Look closely and you might be able to see lions lying down with lambs. And if not, rest assured that such a peaceable revolution can only be a matter of time because Tony Blair launched his "Faith Foundation" in New York yesterday.

Our former prime minister says he want "to spend the rest of my life" uniting the world's religions and bringing peace to our troubled planet. Mr Blair's employers at JP Morgan and Random House (not to mention his various speech bookers), might be interested to hear of this new set of priorities. They thought they were hiring an earner rather than a preacher.

Jesus told his disciples: "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." But it seems Mr Blair, in line with his ceaseless quest for a "third way", is going to have a damn good try.

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