In the course of eating comes the appetite" (Hungarian Proverb). This saying suggests that a desire can sometimes be a product of its object. Currently, sociologists of religion have applied this wisdom to better understand the desire for religion. Theorists posit that fluctuations in religious activity and belief are the result of religious competition (Finke and Stark 1988; Finke and Iannaccone 1993; Stark and McCann 1993; Stark and Iannaccone 1994; Finke, Guest and Stark 1996; Iannaccone, Finke and Stark 1997; Iannaccone 1998). This marks a radical departure from the commonly held notion that religious changes are mainly a function of shifts in the public's desire for religion and has become known as the supply-side theory of religion.

The collapse of Soviet Communism has brought about sweeping revivals of religion in most of Eastern Europe and the Soviet successor states; this dramatic change in religious activity appears ideal for further testing of the supply-side thesis. This paper proposes that in the course of renewed religious competition came Hungarians' appetite for religion.