The Church and religion have played a big role in shaping Italian literature over the years. Here’s how that happened:

1. Middle Ages Influence:

   • About 90% of the texts we still have from this time were related to religion.
   • Famous writers like Dante Alighieri included religious ideas in their stories, like in "The Divine Comedy."

2. Renaissance Expansion:

   • During this time, people started to focus more on humanism, which is all about people and their experiences.
   • However, religion still had a strong impact on the work of major writers, like Petrarch.
   • Around 70% of the literature from this period had religious themes.

3. Counter-Reformation:

   • The Catholic Church supported writers to push back against Protestant ideas.
   • They spent a lot of money on religious texts and education.

4. Modern Era:

   • Even though stories not focused on religion have become more popular, religious themes are still found in today’s literature.
   • It's estimated that about 30% of current books still deal with religious ideas.