This paper links the digital turn in the study of religion to methodological challenges facing research in the field via a qualitative study conducted at the KU Leuven Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies. The theoretical concept of the 'digital turn' was approached empirically via an analysis of (1) the usage of digital aids for research; (2) practices in research data management, and (3) the researcher's perspectives on the digital humanities. Nine participants of various disciplines and career levels took part. Key challenges they experienced in developing digital capabilities for research were: a lack of resources, the need for more training on digital tools, uncertainty on digital privacy and ethics, and a lack of structural support at the institutional level. Factors affecting their usage of digital aids in their research were the conception and level of integration of the digital humanities into participant's research, and their attitude towards digital aids. The more participants had integrated digital humanities into their own research, the more advanced their usage of digital aids, and the more instrumental their view of the digital humanities the less advanced their usage of digital aids. Finally, the more digitally literate the participant, the more active and innovative their attitude towards digital aids. The results of this study, together with preliminary results from research conducted by research infrastructures RESILIENCE and ITSERR were used to develop a tentative model of digital literacy for researchers in the study of the religion.