René Van de Walle (28 January 1924 - 9 June 2009) was a Belgian Jesuit priest, biblical scholar, and academic. He specialized in the Old Testament and taught at the major National Catholic Seminary of Jnana Vidyadeepth in Pune (India). He contributed to scholarly research through his writings which appeared in the major theological journals in India for nearly two decades.

Biography Born in Larrey, Côte-d'Or (France) on 28 January 1924 the young René entered the novitiate of the Jesuits in Drongen (Belgium), on the 7 September 1945. After a year of preparation – learning Sanskrit and Indian civilization – in Wépion, he sails off to India where he first spends another year of language study (Hindi) in Hazaribagh. Then follow philosophical studies in Shembaganur near Kodaikanal (1949–1952).

After two years of educational experience among the tribals of Chotanagpur (Ranchi) René is sent for theological studies in Pune, at the De Nobili College, from 1954 to 1958, with priestly ordination by Bishop Andreas D’Souza (of Pune) at the end of the third year, on March 24, 1957.

However, given his intellectual bent, the young priest is destined for higher ecclesiastical education, and hence sent for a two years ‘biennium’ at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome (1960–1963). His dissertation - required for the doctoral degree -, deals with The Murmuring of the Jews in the Wilderness. While in Rome, on the 2 February 1963, he makes his final religious profession in the Society of Jesus.

Back in India Fr Van de Walle immediately begins his academic career at the national Seminary (nowadays Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth’) in Pune (then Poona), a major town of Maharashtra, east of Mumbai, on the West coast of India. There Van de Walle was ProfessorP. David, St. Paul's Expression 'Man in Christ' and the Vedantist's Understanding of jeevanmukta in Indian Journal of Theology, Volume 18, 2-3, p.196. of Old TestamentIn the beginning, and for nine years, Van de Walle also conducted classes in Fundamental Theology. and was associated with the revision of the Marathi Bible produced by the Bible Society of India.Basil Rebera, The Bible Society of India and Inter-Confessional Translations, in D. S. Amalorpavadass (Edited), Report of the II All-India Biblical Meeting, NBCLC, Bangalore, 1975, p.370. He remains in Pune continuously until his retirement and departure to Belgium in 1989.

Writings 1965, An Administrative Body of Priests and a Consecrated People,Rene Van de Walle, An Administrative Body of Priests and a Consecrated People, Indian Journal of Theology, Volume 14, 1965, pp.57-72. Cited in John Davies, A Royal Priesthood: Literary and Intertextual Perspectives on an Image of Israel in Exodus 19:6, T&T Clark International, London, 2004, p.74.Rene Van de Walle, An Administrative Body of Priests and a Consecrated People, Indian Journal of Theology, Volume 14, 1985, pp.57-72. Cited in Michael A. Grisanti, The Missing Mandate - Missions in the Old Testament in W. Edward Glenny, William H. Smallman (Edited), Missions in a New Millennium: Change and Challenges in World Missions, p.67. 1967, Welcome address at the biennial of the Society for Biblical Studies in India,Rene Van de Walle, Welcome address at the biennial of the Society for Biblical Studies in India in Indian Journal of Theology, Volume 16, 1-2, January–June 1967, pp.1-6. 1969, The sin in the garden and the sinfulness of the world,René Van de Walle, The sin in the garden and the sinfulness of the world, Indian Journal of Theology, Volume 18.2-3, April–September, 1969, pp.124-164. 1975, Jesus - Christ of Atonement or Christ The New Man?,Rene Van de Walle, Jesus - Christ of Atonement or Christ The New Man? in Indian Journal of Theology, Volume 24, 3-4, July–December 1975, pp.151-161. 1975, The Prophets' Call for Renewal and Reconciliation,Rene Van de Walle, The Prophets' Call for Renewal and Reconciliation, Bible Bhashyam, Volume 1, 1975, p.285. Cited in John Sankarathil, Towards a Prophetic Spirituality of Religious Life, Asian Trading Corporation, Bangalore, 1999, p.97. 1978, (co-translated with Christopher T. BeggThe Catholic University of America, Christopher T. Begg), Parables of Jesus. Insight and ChallengeRene Van de Walle, Christopher T. Begg (Translated), Parables of Jesus. Insight and Challenge, Theological Publications in India, Bangalore, 1978. Cited in F. Neirynck, Jozef Verheyden, R. Corstjens (Compiled), The Gospel of Matthew and the sayings source Q - A Cumulative Bibliography 1950-1995, Volume I, Leuven University Press, Leuven, 1998, p.510. 1978, Death and beyond in the sapiential literature,Rene van de Walle, Death and beyond in the sapiential literature, Bible Bhashyam, Volume 4, 1978, pp.312-321. Cited by Michael L. Brown in Israel's Divine Healer, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1995, p.348. 1981, Israel's Relations with the Nations,Rene Van de Walle, Israel's Relations with the Nations in Indian Journal of Theology, Volume 30, 1981, pp.177-180. Cited in Religious and Theological Abstracts, Volumes 26-27, 1983, p.cli. 1983, Esther and Judith, Two Valiant Women,Rene Van de Walle, Esther and Judith, Two Valiant Women in Bible Bhashyam, Volume 9, 1983, pp.104-113. Cited by Claudia Rakel in Judit-- über Schönheit, Macht und Widerstand im Krieg: eine feministisch , Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 2003, p.79. 1986, The Various Facets of Man in Wisdom Literature,Rene Van de Walle, The Various Facets of Man in Wisdom Literature in Jeevadhara 16, 1986, pp.121-132. Cited in G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer Ringgren (Edited), Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, Volume 13, 2004, p.367. 1986, Wisdom,Rene van de Walle, Wisdom in Jeevadhara, Volume 16, 1986, pp.133-137. Cited in Elunchus of Biblica, Volume 2, 1986, p.388. 1989, The Minor Prophets as Conscientizers,Rene Van de Walle, The Minor Prophets as Conscientizers in Jeevadhara, Volume 19, 1989, pp. 118- 132. Cited by Fred Guyette, Amos the Prophet: A Meditation on the richness of 'Justice' in Jewish Bible Quarterly, Volume 36, Number 1, 2008, pp.15-21. No date, A comparative study on Psalm 139 and Hymn IV, 16 of Atharvaveda,Rene Van de Walle, A comparative study on Psalm 139 and Hymn IV, 16 of Atharvaveda, Indian Ecclesiastical Studies. Cited by Ishanand Vempeny, Inspiration in the Non-Biblical Scriptures, Theological Publications in India, 1973, p.24.

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