London, England - The General Synod of the Church of England voted to ditch legal obstacles preventing the ordination of women as bishops, delighting church modernisers but prompting traditionalists to warn of new divisions.
The synod, meeting in the northern English city of York, had been debating the controversial issue since Friday as it moved towards allowing female bishops, 11 years on from the ordination of the first women priests and following a long campaign which has split the body.
The Bishop of Southwark, the Right Reverend Tom Butler, proposed the motion which won the support of 41 bishops with six opposed, while 167 clergy members backed the resolution with 46 against.
Such was the strength of feeling on the subject that more than 100 synod members signed up to speak during the debate.
The leader of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, addressed the forum before the vote, which saw those in favour win the day in the face of bitter opposition from traditionalists, who argued there was no biblical precedent since Christ's apostles were all male.
Butler told the 500 delegates that women bishops had been openly in ministry in the Anglican Communion for 17 years.
He said: "In no way can it be claimed that in seeking at this time to test the mind of the Church of England we act hastily or precipitately.
"This synod, well informed on the issues and principles, should be the synod to decide whether in principle to proceed or not.
"I believe that there are good ecclesiological and theological reasons why women should now be able to be ordained bishop."
The bishop concluded: "The Church of England, Catholic and Reformed, has before acted prophetically for the wider church vernacular liturgy, married clergy have all been pioneered by our church and have proved to be a blessing to other communions also. The same I believe will be true of women's orders which we are pioneering."
A few delegates, mainly women, sang songs and chanted slogans outside the debate calling for women to become bishops immediately.
The Bishop of Chichester John Hind opposed the measure, warning delegates it could exacerbate existing divisions in the church.
"There continues to be serious disagreement in the Church of England. It reveals deeper disagreements about how we do theology and agree doctrine," he said.
Sir Patrick Cormack, a House of Commons lawmaker for the opposition Conservative Party and a member of the synod, said he was sorry he could not attend the vote.
"I do feel that this is a divisive move and I fear that a lot of people will probably leave the Church of England as a result," he said.
The Anglican Church has been divided on a number of issues in recent years, most dramatically over the ordination of gay clergy.
Last year, church leaders called for the US Episcopal Church to apologise for the ordination of the openly gay Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, a move which outraged traditionalists.