In January 1989, 163 Catholic theologians signed the Kölner Erklärung, the Cologne Declaration. Its title was Wider die Entmündigung – für eine offene Katholizität, against being treated as minors, for an open catholicity. The signers criticized what they saw as the authoritarian style of the church leadership under Pope John Paul II. They asked that local churches have a stronger part in appointing bishops. One occasion was the appointment of Cardinal Joachim Meisner as Archbishop of Cologne. The signers said they wanted to contribute to a serious theological conversation. In all, more than 700 theologians worldwide supported it.