[quote:2yc4qbw6]If one dies with a venial sin on their soul, how does one get into Heaven?[/quote:2yc4qbw6]

You see, this question doesn’t even make sense to me. We’re using completely different paradigms. Firstly your talk of having venial (a term we do not use) sin on your soul makes it sound as though sin is a crime or a debt. That is not what the Greek word means – it means missing the mark. Missing the mark is not living up to God’s standards, not going as far as we could towards theosis, stumbling off the path if you will. It’s not at all a juridical concept for us. Secondly, you sound as though you feel Heaven to be a place whereas for us it’s more of a state (certainly between now and the last judgement). I’d advise reading an article by Alexander Kalomiros called ‘The River of Fire’ for an explanation, were it not for his rather uncharitable anti-western polemics.

As for how we ‘get to Heaven’ whilst being less than perfect (who isn’t?) or even having not repented of all our sins – which is quite common I would imagine, especially with sudden death – it is hope in the forgiveness of God who wishes that all men should be saved. And the prayers of those righteous Christians we leave behind (and those who have preceded us, such as our patron saints, the Theotokos, etc.) which Scripture promises us are efficacious, can only help in our attaining such forgiveness.

James