Barth continues his treatment of the Doctrine of Creation, turning his attention in the present volume away from creation in general (volume III.1) and focusing on the human creature in particular. This second part of the Doctrine of Creation showcases Barth's theological anthropology, which is based in christology. As such, Jesus Christ is the source for our knowledge of the nature of humanity who makes possible the prospect of relationship between the human and divine. By utilizing Martin Buber's concept of the I-Thou relation, Barth arrives at a relationally conceived interpretation of the imago Dei. Being human entails first, an encounter with the living God and second, an encounter with fellow-humanity, which is exemplified in the male-female relation. Barth concludes the volume with an examination of humanity as both soul and body as well as the human person's relation to time.
