An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Spiritual Gifts

Also called charisms, and partially listed in 1 Cor 12:4-11, these are graces granted by the Holy Spirit to empower the faithful to perform specific tasks. Called gratiae gratis datae (freely given graces) by the scholastics, they are at the service of charity (1 Cor 13:13). Given over and above the fundamental gift of faith and friendship with God (or, gratia sanctificans, sanctifying grace) they are neither necessary nor sufficient to salvation, but they characterize the specific call of God to each believer. See Gifts of the Spirit.

Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.