Through Christianity an essentially transcendent stance of consciousness is achieved, namely by way of the basic factor of feeling. This is a transcendent stance, in contradistinction to a metaphysical  one,[21] because feeling [Gefühl]—the focal point of aliveness [Lebendigkeit]—is here turned inwards, even turned against itself and hence free of all givenness [Gegebenheit]. (ST, pp. 13/14)