Archbishops of Canterbury and York lament the upheaval of 2011 and urge worshippers to develop 'mutual obligation'

Church leaders have called on Britons to learn lessons from the upheaval and uncertainty of the past year, speaking of "beastly ways" and "broken bonds" and taking aim at bankers and rioters alike in their Christmas Day sermons.

The archbishop of Canterbury asked worshippers to develop an understanding of "mutual obligation" following a turbulent 2011.

In the splendid settings of Canterbury Cathedral, Dr Rowan Williams said: "The most pressing question we now face, we might well say, is who and where we are as a society. Bonds have been broken, trust abused and lost.

"Whether it is an urban rioter mindlessly burning down a small shop that serves his community, or a speculator turning his back on the question of who bears the ultimate cost for his acquisitive adventures in the virtual reality of today's financial world, the picture is of atoms spinning apart in the dark."

He used the Book of Common Prayer, which celebrates its 350th anniversary next year, as an example of how ideas of duty and common interest could be expressed, quoting its Long Exhortation: "If ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only against God but also against your neighbours; then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make restitution."

The archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, encouraged his congregation to "treat each other with genuine respect of a fellow human being" and to think about "stopping our lives being a constant stream of fast-paced activity which accomplishes little".

Delivering his sermon from the pulpit at York Minster, Sentamu suggested people "turn away from beastly ways" such as deceit, extortion, greed, inequality and selfishness.

He condemned "perverting justice for a bribe; a right to consume with no regard for social action; unfairness of economic outcome; obsession with wealth and maximising shareholder value; a winner-takes-all attitude that has taken the place of a belief in fairness and personal integrity".

The Roman Catholic archbishop of Westminster had a more international focus in his sermon, offering prayers for Palestinians whom he said could lose their land to Israel.

During his midnight mass sermon, Vincent Nichols referred to the plight of 50 West Bank families: "At this moment the people of the parish of Beit Jala prepare for their legal battle to protect their land and homes from further expropriation by Israel. Over 50 families face losing their land and their homes as action is taken to complete the separation/security wall across the territory of the district of Bethlehem."

Nichols went on to speak of the importance of kindness and forgiveness, saying: "In the words of St Paul we are to be a people with 'no ambition except to do good.'"

Like other church leaders, Nichols addressed the pervasive climate of anxiety and uncertainty, telling the worshippers at Westminster Cathedral: "We live in a world in which the prospects for the future, in the terms the world can offer, are distinctly shaky. Yet we find an unshakable hope in our saviour."

The Anglican bishop of Blackburn took time out from his traditional Christmas Day obligations to urge people to show compassion – for Rovers boss Steve Kean, who has faced an onslaught of criticism from fans after poor performances.

Rovers sit bottom of the Premier League table as they head for a Boxing Day clash with Liverpool and Kean's position has been a source of speculation for much of the season.

The Right Rev Nicholas Reade told the BBC that people should stop verbally abusing the beleaguered football manager, and called for an end to the aggressive demands for him to leave.

The cleric said: "Our manager is held in high standing by a number of his colleagues in other clubs. Please always remember the human being, that he's part of a family, that other people will be suffering because other people have got him in their sights."