Question

As title says, is it possible to give a user access to the rich text editor’s editing features without setting the display mode to edit (i.e. giving a non-editor editing rights for this particular control)?

Answer 1

you’ll want to elevate their privileges for the specific area that you are wanting them to have these privileges. I’m not aware of anything out of the box that will do this type of customization being that the editing feature – like you mentioned – are tightly tied to permissions.

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()
{
    using (SPSite site = new SPSite(web.Site.ID))
    {
       // Do things by assuming the permission of the "system account".
    }
});

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa543467.aspx