The Church of England's ruling body - General Synod - has overwhelmingly voted in favour of new legislation which would allow women to be ordained as bishops. Members voted with a majority of 378 to eight, with 25 abstentions. More work needs to be done on the wording of the legislation before a final vote takes place at some point within the next 18 months.
Synod member and women bishops campaigner Christina Rees described today's vote to Premier's Marcus Jones on the News Hour as historic.
Today's approval comes nearly a year after Synod failed to agree on legislation by just six votes from traditionalists.
It led to widespread criticism from those outside of the Church with Prime Minister David Cameron urging the Church to 'get on with it'.
As a result of the failed vote a steering committee was set up by the Archbishop Canterbury made up of clergy and lay people from both sides of the debate.
It put together a new 'simpler' package which allows women to be ordained as bishops but traditionalists also have their views accommodated.
Proposing the package of measures the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Revd James Langstaff, said: "These measures look to the day when the Church of England as an ecclesial entity will have made a clear decision to open all orders of ministry to women and men without distinction, whereby all those so ordained are true and lawful holders of the office which they occupy."
Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the Prime Minister reiterated his support for women bishops saying he hoped there will be a female bishop in the House of Lords not before long.
During the debate the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, warned members not to open the champagne yet as there are still areas of disagreement to overcome before final approval can be given next year.
Martin Dales - spokesman of the Catholic Group in the General Synod which opposed previous attempts to bring in women bishops - told Premier there are still a few issues to iron out.
Today's endorsement came alongside a "declaration" by the Church of England bishops setting out guidance for those parishes that reject female ministry. It's thought somebody independent of a diocese will be brought in to settle any disputes when a church or member of the clergy can't accept the authority of a woman. Much of the credit given to the twelve month turn around is the introduction of small groups which took place within Synod which gave members the chance to air there views outside of the main chamber.
After the vote, the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, said the passing of the motion was "nothing short of miraculous".