Less than a third of the 1,509 clergy who were surveyed think that the current welfare system creates a culture of dependency compared with three-fifths of the population and more than two-thirds of all Anglicans.
The YouGov findings, commissioned by the Westminster Faith Debates to support a new series on the future of the Church of England and carried out in conjunction with Lancaster University, found that clergy's views differed from the views of their congregations, revealing more conservative views on issues such as abortion, euthanasia and same-sex marriage.
For example, 43% of all clergy want to see a reduction in the 24-week time limit on abortion, and 16% support an outright ban.
By contrast, just 6% of all Anglicans and the same proportion of the population would support a ban on abortion.
On several issues, more evangelical clergy have distinctive and pronounced views, with nearly 90% believing same-sex marriage is wrong and 31% want to ban abortion.
Seventy per cent of clergy think the law on assisted dying should remain unchanged. The same proportion of lay Anglicans and the general population is in favour of relaxing the law.
Lancaster University professor Linda Woodhead, who led the research, thinks the survey proves how divisive the issue of same-sex marriage is likely to become for the Church.
Speaking on Premier's News Hour, she said: "The intention, the Church has said, is to 'disagree well', but what the survey shows is that there's a very significant number of evangelical clergy who don't think that's an ideal at all. They don't really want unity; they either want uniformity or a split. So I think that puts a very big question mark over the idea that there is ever going to be any kind of serious agreement on that topic."
On a theologically liberal to conservative scale, 43% placed themselves at the liberal end, 32% in the middle, and 24% at the conservative end.
Meanwhile, 83% of vicars are united by their strong belief in a "personal God".
The same proportion is committed to the ancient parish system, which divides England into areas served by a priest with a free vicarage. The system is currently under pressure, with falling numbers of clergy and worshippers.
Professor Linda Woodhead, Lancaster University: