German question: Does “An der Stelle der Religion steht nun die Kirche” merely locate the Church in the place/location/sphere of religion? Or is it “instead of” religion?

Is there any vicarious representation implied, as there clearly is in the following sentence?

Adam (steht) nicht an (der) Stelle der Anderen, sondern an seiner eigenen. Christus steht an (der) Stelle der Menschheit!